A Slytherin Tale
by thefightingbull
Summary: When a new student arrives at Hogwarts during Harry Potter's 6th year, a new light is shed upon the Slytherin students and it's infamous Head of House. Will any of the Slytherins be saved? Or are they all evil cowards? This is an alternate universe with a retelling of books 6 and 7. This story is rated M for future chapter that include swearing, intimacy and violence.
1. Chapter 1

_To Headmaster Albus Dumbledore,_

_You may or may not remember who I am, but I was once a foreign exchange student of yours several years ago. I started in my first year and had been sorted into the house of Hufflepuff. My friends were many and you may recall that I was close friends to Andromeda Black and her lovely sister Narcissa Black, this of course made me acquaintances with Lucious Malfoy, Regulus Black, Bellatrix Black, and several other infamous Wizards and Witches who either followed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named willingly or by Imperius Curse._

_During my years at Hogwarts things were already becoming intense as soldiers were silently recruited for both sides of the war. By the time I reached my seventh year, I was desperate to get myself back home to California in the USA. The Blacks and Malfoys were frightening in their blood-status zealotry and I had known a great evil was on the horizon even then. Still, I would not be able to return home until a few months after I had turned 19 and so I had to keep up appearances as friends with the Blacks, especially after Andromeda disappeared. I even spent the night with an old classmate of Lucious Malfoy's thanks to a few too many drinks._

_I may not have seemed like much but there was a role I played amongst the Death Eaters, while still being an unofficial member of their disgusting group. Like Narcissa, I helped to provide certain support and healing when necessary. Thankfully I was able to finally escape England with the help of a couple I knew from Hogwarts; Frank and Alice Longbottom. Had they not believed me or taken pity on me I have no idea what might have become of me._

_This is where my son comes in. He is sixteen, almost seventeen years old. I have had to go into hiding as I have seen several supporters of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named moving about the area ever since last summer. I remember reading all about the death of that poor boy and I knew that seeing Death Eaters in this area meant that he had indeed returned. You probably already know he has been looking for his followers and those who had once aided him in his cause. Those of us who refuse to join his ranks will be killed, but I cannot allow my fear to lead me after all the kindness I was shown by the Longbottom couple. I will not dishonor them by falling back into the hands of his followers no matter how frightened I may be._

_I seem to have gone off topic, I apologize. There is just so much to say and make sure that you understand. Anyhow, I have been in hiding since the end of fourth year but my son's muggle guardian is no longer capable of protecting him properly, or subduing him for that matter. Emery is a very bright and powerful wizard despite what his grades and past teachers may say about him. He has also been expelled from Salem High's Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry after a group of five boys jumped him and he retaliated by hexing them._

_He must be allowed to finish his schooling. If he doesn't, he will be unprepared to fend off any who may come for him. Also being a part of the public school system will only make him stand out to agents of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. If the Death Eaters ever learn that he is my son they will know who the father is and I am afraid that may make him all the more desirable. He needs to be at Hogwarts where the professors know what they are looking for and where he can be protected easier. Please Dumbledore, allow him to finish his education at your school. I can't let him become what his father was... I won't allow it._

_Sincerely,_

_Amelia Hart_

Emery Graves sat before Albus Dumbledore in a tiny coffee shop in Salem, Massachusettes with the simple muffliato spell cast over them. The boy was dressed in faded blue jeans and a black long sleeved t-shirt. His strange eyes, the left a pale blue while the right was a dark bronze, were focused intently on a large crack running along the top of the wooden table they were seated at. His long black hair was thick with strong waves that almost curled; it had been pulled some what haphazardly into a purple elastic tie.

"Do you know what happened to my mother?" Emery asked in a voice so soft that the Headmaster had nearly missed it altogether.

"Mr. Graves, I am afraid that we don't have much time to spare if we are going to escape unnoticed." The old man with twinkling blue eyes replied gently. He was dressed in sky blue silk robes, his long white beard giving him his trade-mark Merlin appearance. He even wore a pair of moon crescent shaped glasses above his long crooked nose. "We must get you to the safety of Hogwarts."

Immediately the Headmaster felt those odd eyes narrow upon him; anger and hate radiating all around the young man. With the same alacrity that the hostile emotions filled the room, they vanished, leaving no trace of his magical energy behind. All the same, Emery looked to him expectantly, making it silently clear that he would not leave until he knew what the Headmaster knew of his mother.

"Your mother is in hiding so that she may protect you both." Albus answered, finding that hard and impatient look quite familiar.

"I am aware that she is in hiding, she has been in hiding since the end of my fourth year." Emery's upper lip curled into a sneer. "Something happened in London and Mother abandoned me to some muggle friend of hers."

"Mr. Graves, your mother did not tell me where she was hiding. It was a great risk to send me a letter at all and to do so on your behalf, I believe implies a great deal as to how much she must care for you." The old man said in a delicate, but firm tone.

"How was the letter signed?" Emery suddenly demanded, his intense gaze hinting at a mild paranoia as he something was making him rather uneasy.

"Amelia Hart, it was the same name she was known by at Hogwarts and most likely her birth name." The ease and confidence in which the Headmaster spoke seemed to help calm the teenager. "Graves was your grandmother's maiden name, was it not? This keeps your existence secret from those who would do either of you harm."

Emery nodded as he stood up and looked to the man who would very soon be his Headmaster. The boy's face was impassive, almost seeming indifferent, but there was a nervous energy surrounding him that gave away the feeling of excitement for something new. While Emery might not ever admit such a thing, Albus saw it all the same. Again, something that felt vaguely familiar and yet he could not identify the individual his mind seemed to insist he was so similar to.

"Follow me, Mr. Graves." Albus smiled kindly. "We have much to discuss on our journey to Hogwarts."

* * *

The wind was a bit chilly against his face as he stood with several students close to his age. They were all waiting to be taken to the Hogwarts castle, and Emery had to admit that it was a rather impressive sight. The castle was enormous, with three large towers and was at least seven stories that he could see. It was beautiful in it's antiquity and while it was breathtaking to behold it was also intimidating, especially with the heavy magical aura that he could feel emanating from the massive building and it's grounds.

"Who do you reckon that is?" Ginny asked Hermoine as the two girls took note of the tall young man observing the castle for what was most likely the first time. "He is in plain robes, but with no house colors."

"Must be a transfer student." Hermoine guessed as she focused on the teenager. "He could probably see the castle better if he took off those sunglasses."

Emery was indeed wearing a pair of rectangled black shades and he had better hearing than either girl seemed to realize as they continued to talk about him as if he wasn't there. His lips twisted upward into a smirk as he turned to face them. "Perhaps I am blind." His voice carried to the girls as they both blushed. "Or I maybe I am getting a feel of the magical aura of my new home and don't want my sight to interfere?"

"I am so sorry, I had no idea that you could..." Hermoine cut herself off before she made herself sound really stupid. "I am Hermoine Granger, 6th year; and this is Ginny Weasley, 5th year."

Ginny, Emery noted, was a cute kind of girl with red hair, red freckles and the typically fair skin that came along with the red features. She was as tall as Hermoine, if not a half inch to an inch taller. She had a fierce and challenging look upon her face that warned she was ready for anything, that she was everything a brave young Gryffindor ought to be. He wondered how many brothers she had. She wasn't wearing make-up, her hair wasn't put up in any special way and she seemed very much like a tomboy. She definitely had to have at least two brothers.

"A pleasure to meet you both." He continued to smile, though both girls got the feeling he was laughing at them. "I'm Emery. I just transferred from Salem High's Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am also a 6th year student."

Two boys made their way over to Emery, Hermoine and Ginny. One was a red head who looked quite similar to Ginny wearing hand-me-down robes and the other was Harry Potter. He knew it immediately by the lightning bolt scar, the green eyes and the unkempt black hair. He was world famous and there wasn't a witch or wizard alive who didn't know of Harry Potter and his escape from death.

"Who is this?" Harry asked the girls as he looked to the new kid.

"What kind of prat wears sunglasses at night?" Ron whispered to Harry.

"His name is Emery." Hermoine introduced leveling Ron with a glare. "Emery this is Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley."

"What house do you think you want to be in?" Ronald asked, though he kept looking at the boy's face with annoyance, clearly bothered by his wearing of sunglasses.

"The headmaster told me a little bit about the houses. Hufflepuff, stubborn and loyal. Ravenclaw, intelligent and boastful. Gryffindor, brave and self-righteous and Slytherin, cunning and treacherous." He shrugged. "My mother was a Hufflepuff during her time here."

Harry groaned. "Well if the Sorting Hat knows that you may very well end up a Hufflepuff as it usually sorts you based on family."

Hermoine rolled her eyes. "That's not always true. Parvati and Padma Patil are twins and they are each in different houses. Family doesn't always determine house and there is nothing wrong with being a Hufflepuff."

"'Cept of course that they never win the house cup. Or the quidditch cup. Or anything really, for that matter." Ron laughed. "They're kind of a pathetic lot."

While Hermoine looked very angry, none of the others in her little group seemed too bothered by Ron's assertion. Even Emery had given somewhat of a half smirk, though she did find it hard to tell if it was sarcastic or sincere. Not being able to see his eyes, Hermoine found that his face was difficult to read accurately.

"It's highly unlikely that I will end up a Hufflepuff. I am far too proud of myself and my accomplishments to be as humble as they are. Nor do I feel a need to be loyal to anyone who hasn't earned it." Emery assured the boys. "I take my studies seriously, I work hard and I will stop at nothing to make sure I get a proper education during my time here."

"Ravenclaw for sure then." Ron informed him. "They are absolutely obsessive about knowledge and grades. Hermoine here was almost a Ravenclaw, but the hat must of have realized she has as much bravery as intelligence."

As the group waited to be loaded into a carriage, Emery found his gaze falling to Hermoine Granger more than he liked. It hadn't escaped his notice that she was an especially pretty girl with wild curly hair and honey brown eyes. Her figure appeared petite with soft curves beneath her Gryffindor colored robes. However, as she began to tell him more about each house he found her intelligence was dangerously close to annoying, but then again he knew he was considered to be annoying as well. His guarded eyes remained fixed on the rather talkative girl all the way to the castle.

Nearly an hour later, the Gryffindors cheered as the last of the first years was sorted into their house. Minerva McGonagall smiled and then looked to the lone boy standing without a house. She called out his name expecting him to be a little embarrassed at being sorted with first years. It was usually the reaction she saw from past student transfers. Emery, however, strode over to her with a quiet confidence that bordered on indifference.

"Mr. Graves, you will please remove your sunglasses. Those are to be worn outside only." Professor McGonagall lectured, her hand held out to take them.

Hermoine watched as he curled his upper lip into vicious sneer before it was replaced by a tight lipped frown. The air was suddenly tense with magical energy but it dissipated quickly as with some hesitation Emery removed the eye-wear. At first, Hermoine was unsure why he seemed so annoyed. Upon taking a closer look however, she noticed that he had two different colored eyes. They were drastically different as the left was a pale blue, the right a dark brown. She could hear several whispers from the first year Slytherins, Ravenclaws and Gryffindors about how weird or odd he looked.

As Emery sat on the stool, his eyes focused once more on Hermoine Granger. As soon as the hat was placed on his head it shouted. "Slytherin!" He winked at her with his blue eye as he stepped down to join his house.

Ron gaped while Harry frowned, but it was Ginny who finally asked what they were all thinking. "Why Slytherin? After everything Hermoine told him about that house and then with as friendly as he seemed...It just doesn't make sense."

"Friendly?" Harry shook his head. "Ginny, the guy may have been polite to our faces but he wasn't outwardly friendly in the slightest. I didn't like him from the beginning."

"Me either." Ron added quickly.

Severus Snape watched with mild interest as the young man was sorted into his house. Being the observant man that he was,he caught the shocked and disappointed looks of Harry Potter and his pathetic group of lackeys. He wasn't sure why they thought the boy would be anything but Slytherin. From the moment the boy had dared to sneer at Minerva and flex his magic, he had seen the makings of a very powerful young wizard. Would he become a dark wizard or would he be an asset to the Order of the Phoenix? While he wasn't one to involve students as often as Dumbledore or Voldemort, he was constantly on the look out for capable wizards and witches.

"Severus, a word after dinner, if you could." Albus said softly. "We have much to discuss for the upcoming school year."

"Of course Headmaster." Snape responded, his eyes continuing to watch Emery as he moved to take a seat beside Draco Malfoy and his gang of miscreants.

"Welcome to Slytherin." A platinum blonde boy with bright blue eyes spoke as Emery took a seat beside him at the large table. "I am Draco Malfoy, these two behind me are Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Across from you is Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson. To the other side of you is Theodore Nott and Millicent Bulstrode. We're all from very powerful and strong families, all pure bloods, too."

Emery raised a black brow as he looked over everyone, taking a quick appraisal of each of them and then back to Draco. "Yeah, ok. I suppose that's something to know about all of you."

"Well what about you? What's your family like?" Millicent demanded.

His angry eyes found her face as he looked over the rather plain looking witch. Her brown hair was lifeless, her brown eyes flat and her complexion was simply fair. She was nothing in comparison to the very comely Pansy Parkinson who's dark eyes glittered with interest, her chestnut hair pulled back simply but elegantly. She had unblemished and clear olive skin. He could tell that Millicent was very jealous of Pansy and by questioning him immediately she was hoping to capture his particular attention before the other girl could.

"What about them?" Emery shrugged, not inclined to answer.

"Your last name is Graves, but we aren't familiar with the name." Crabbe spoke up next. The rather thick and tall boy was clearly an enforcer type, Emery could tell it about him immediately by the way he sat behind Draco. He probably wasn't completely stupid, but it was obvious that Draco led Vincent and Gregory with little effort.

"We are an American family." Emery answered, refusing to give them the information they seemed so keen to get. He noticed that Theo in particular was watching him with a quiet curiosity, but it didn't seem as hostile as the others were now starting to become.

"Are you a pure-blood?" Blaise finally asked point blank.

"I am not going to answer that." The boy with strange eyes replied casually.

"Why not?" Draco sneered. "Are you afraid of us finding out that you are some kind of mudblood?"

The grin that spread across Emery's face was the last thing any of Draco's gang expected. "I like you Drake; you don't even bother to hide what a complete asshole you are."

Draco sputtered in disbelief. "Beg your pardon? What did you just call me you...you trashy-"

Emery smiled as he took hold of Draco's shoulder. "I called you an asshole, Drake. I take it you object?"

"Of course I object you bloody imbecile!" Draco snarled. He started to reach for his wand but realized that their head of house, Severus Snape as well the Headmaster were watching the scene play out. "What are you playing at, Graves?"

The blue and brown eyes of Emery contemplated the self-proclaimed Prince of Slytherin. Finally he shrugged non-nonchalantly. "Honestly, Drake, I am just here to finish out my final two years of school so that I can go back home. I wanted to feel you guys out and now I know exactly what I am dealing with."

Draco blinked back his surprised but then smirked. "You are either a complete tosser or a brilliant Slytherin.

"And now for a few announcements!" Dumbledore's voice silenced any further chattering amongst the students. "Firstly, I would like to welcome back Horace Slughorn who is returning to his old post as Potions Master and congratulate Professor Snape on his acquiring the Defense Against The Dark Arts post."

"Guess the rumors were true." Draco said. "Perhaps we'll finally learn something important from Defense Against the Dark Arts for once."

* * *

"You wished to speak with me, Headmaster?" Severus reminded as the old man looked up at him with an expression of confusion at his presence. "I imagine it has something to do with Potter or The Dark Lord."

With a small smile Albus shook his head. "No, Severus. For once you will find my request for this meeting with you purely academic in nature. It has nothing to do with Mr. Potter or Tom Riddle directly."

One of Snapes black brows rose, his curiosity peaked as he took a seat in the chair directly in front of the desk. "How refreshing." He smirked. "What is that you wish to discuss?" Before the Headmaster could answer, he realized what the topic would most likely be about. "Mr. Graves?"

"Yes. The boy is here as a favor to an old student of mine. He has quite a history and I would like you to keep an eye on him. According to his past instructors he has a tendency to react rather violently when pushed, agitated or harassed." The deceptively powerful wizard slid a thick yellow folder across the desk and to his Head of Slytherin house. "I would suggest looking over his folder when you get the opportunity."

Snape opened the folder and was surprised to see that unlike most student files, this boy's was riddled with teacher comments, red writing indicating times he had been in trouble and the accounts of what had happened and then finally catching his eyes were the boldly stamped words across the bottom. EXPELLED.

"You are sending a trouble maker into my midst." Snape sneered.

"I am sure once you read through it all, you will be rather pleased to find he is a well behaved student who simply finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time." Albus smiled pleasantly, his blue eyes sparkling softly behind his glasses.

"Another arrogant fool-hardy boy who believes he knows best. Who would have thought Harry Potter came in Slytherin colors as well." Clearly the Potions Master was not impressed. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes, actually. The mother does not want Emery involved with the Death Eaters or their children."

"He chose his house well then; didn't he?" Professor Snape snorted as he was barely able to refrain from rolling his eyes. "How do you expect me to keep him away from all the Death Eater's children when most of them are in and of his house? What exactly do you suggest I do?"

"I trust you to make the right decisions, Severus." Albus replied with an easy smile. "He is a very intelligent young man, and while he does come from a prestigious American bloodline, there has been no signs of prejudiced in the history of the family. I doubt he will be any great burden."


	2. Chapter 2

Living in a dungeon didn't bother Emery, what bothered him was the implication of what his house was to others students. It suggested they were criminals, dark wizards and monsters from the pit of the castle. He wasn't ashamed that the Sorting Hat had placed him in Slytherin, mostly because he took pride in being a member of a house that was known for it's cunning, resourcefulness, ambition, and intelligence. These qualities were not bad or evil and he was willing to bet that there were many great and extraordinary witches and wizards who had been of the Slytherin house.

Feeling a little volatile, he walked into his assigned room. The dimly lit space was decorated in black, silver and of course green with several Slytherin Coats of Arms or flags. Considering that the room was in a castle dungeon, Emery wasn't surprised to find it a little drafty and humid. He looked over at four single sized poster beds; at the foot of each bed was a large sturdy trunk. Two of the trunks, however were open and empty, while two were closed; hinting that only he and one other boy would be sharing the room.

Emery looked to both beds with closed trunks and was able to tell which was his by the picture frame that lie atop his coverlet. He walked over to the bed and sat down before picking up the photo of a six year old version of himself in the arms of his mother at their local park. She kissed him on the cheek as he made a sour face before they both looked up at the camera and smiled. There was little that Emery owned; the photo in it's frame, his biker styled black dragon hide boots, a bag of toiletries and his clothes. The photo was obviously the most important possession.

He looked up in time to see Theodore Nott walk into the room. Theo seemed startled by the presence of another boy for a brief moment though he recovered quickly. The boy's dark blue eyes seemed to settle on Emery for what felt like several minutes before he finally turned and started checking on his own things. "Normally I have this room to myself."

"I would rather we both have a room to ourselves. I don't normally prefer company." Emery responded honestly.

Before Theo could say anything, Draco walked into the room. "Emery, Theo." He greeted. "Vincent, Gregory and I are going to meet up with the girls in the common room. Care to join us?"

No, Emery thought, but he knew at his last school his introverted and often anti-social tendencies had singled him out. He couldn't be the same loner he had been in the States. It would eventually draw more attention to him than if he ran about screaming through the halls that he was the happiest and most normal student alive. "Sure." He ended up shrugging. "Why not?"

* * *

It was official, Emery hated Crabbe, Goyle, and 'the girls'. They were all four of them idiots and lackeys unworthy of his time. He had quickly identified that Draco knew Gregory and Vincent outside of school which meant that he either had no choice but to befriend them or he had done so to make himself seem all the more intelligent by contrast. Draco, on the other hand, he found himself liking. When the boy wasn't focused on Potter he was actually quite funny and charming.

"So why don't you tell us a little more about your family?" Pansy smiled to him from an ugly green lounge chair.

Realizing that this subject was going to come up again and again with this group, Emery decided he could touch on it without getting himself into too much trouble. He would have to lie though. They couldn't know how powerful a curse-breaker and healer his mother had been.

"My mother was a Hufflepuff but she barely passed most of her classes and had only a few friends. She was damned near considered a squib. Or so my grandmother said." Emery shrugged, feeling neither embarrassment nor shame even as Crabbe and Goyle snickered with glee. If they were stupid enough to feel secure around him now that they thought him weak and powerless, all the better for him.

"And your father?" Draco prompted, hoping there was some kind of prestige on that side of his family.

"I don't have a fucking clue who the man was." Emery shrugged.

"You what?" Pansy gasped.

"I can't believe you just said that!" Millicent agreed. "I mean it's not completely unheard of, but why not just say bloody like everyone else?"

"What kind of swear word is bloody? If I said get your bloody nose away from me, am I swearing or am I referring to a bloody nose? You Brits have no idea how to swear properly." Emery shook his head. "Fucking is far better. It catches everyone's attention and you can't mistake it's use."

Listening in on the conversation, Severus Snape had to admit he was a bit impressed with Emery as the group was now focused on the difference between American and English swear words as opposed to his background. The girls were pretending to be mortified like proper English ladies while the boys began throwing out more vulgar and crass words. He was however, disappointed in Draco for not catching on.

The group laughed harder as Draco called Emery a 'git'. The American was completely flabbergasted by the wAord. Snape was convinced that if he hadn't known he was standing in a dungeon or familiar with the voices of his students, he would think himself listening to a pride of Gryffindors.

"How very immature and...Gryffindor." Severus' smooth voice filled the common room as he walked out of the shadow he was hiding in. "All of you lounging and discussing poor language like a bunch of first years, I am severely disappointed."

Draco blushed, while Pansy frowned, though not one of the students jumped to defend themselves or apologize. Still, Severus knew that the comment was effective as the young men and women were well aware of the gravity of the insult.

The black eyes of their Professor now focused in on the new comer. It was time to alienate the boy and make sure this particular group of Slytherin's never wanted anything to do with him. Why Emery was gaining this much attention from Draco and his gang was still beyond him, as he saw nothing special. Just as Professor Snape opened his mouth, Mr. Graves began to speak.

"I would think that with being a Slytherin, it was important to know of the subtleties and nuances of the current group's vocabulary." Emery rolled his eyes at the Professor. "Perhaps we should call it extra credit?"

Crabbe and Goyle's eyes widened in shock. While Slytherins were indeed known to be their own authorities, not one student had ever dared to risk the Head of House's anger, especially ever since Severus Snape had been that head. Even Malfoy watched with an air of shock at the American's boldness.

As he watched the young teenagers, Snape knew how to prevent further bonding between Draco and Emery, thus eliminating anything further bonds between the others as well. With a cool tone and a bit of impressed encouragement lacing his voice, Professor Snape began to speak, his mouth turned upward into a smile as he caught Emery in his black eyed gaze. "It seems you have some competition here, Mr. Malfoy. Best be watchful or your subjects may crown a new prince."

The Professor was quite pleased with the effect his praise of Mr. Graves had on his sixth year class. The entire common room had long since grown quiet so that they could listen in on this conversation and now all eyes were subtly, though intently focused on Draco and Emery. The first of which was now glaring hatefully at the ladder.

An expression of anger and pompous superiority swept across Draco's face. He'd be damned if some foreigner was going to take his place in this school. With everything his family had gone through he wouldn't allow himself to fall any further into disgrace. How could he have been so stupid? Of course Emery wanted to take his place. To lead the Slytherin class was to lead the future leaders of the world of magic.

Of all the possible responses to his smart-assery, Emery had not at all prepared for Professor Snapes thorned compliment. As Draco and his loyal gang left him sitting by himself, the young man felt a rush of malicious hatred toward his head of house. Upon looking up at the black haired man he pushed his hostile emotions aside and smiled arrogantly.

"You must be a friend to Draco's fallen father." He spoke softly. "I can certainly understand that you want to make sure that boy is never shown up by some American low life. It would probably be rather embarrassing to know that not only can muggle borns out perform 'the prince of Slytherin' but so can some drifter from across the Atlantic."

"I am sure I have no idea what you are talking about, Mr. Graves." Snape replied silkily. "I do however, know if you don't learn some respect for me very soon you are going to find yourself in the rather uncomfortable position of answering to your housemates for why they will be starting their school year off with negative points. Goodnight, Mr. Graves."

Finding himself completely alone in the common room, Emery refused to heave a solemn sigh. He had been so sure he could make this work, that he could make friends on a superficial level, stay under everyone's radar and not get into any fights. This goal was apparently set to high as it seemed even kids who were supposed to be similar to him were in fact too different to accept him.

* * *

The first day of school was a nightmare. Emery and his Slytherin class had Advanced Potions with several Gryffindors. Among those were Hermoine, Harry, Ron and Neville Longbottom. Emery was the odd man out and ended up without a partner causing Professor Slughorn to hover over him incessantly. What was worse was the potion book seemed extremely outdated and incorrect when it came to making liquid death. He wasn't sure what was wrong but as he brewed the potion he knew it wouldn't come out right. The most infuriating moment was when Harry Potter managed to win the Felix Filius Potion with the same book everyone else had. Emery hated nothing more than second-guessing himself and if Harry could manage to make the spell with the same book, it meant he had been wrong.

Defense Against the Dark Arts hadn't been much better. Professor Snape had made it clear that their prior education was lacking and that they would spend the first ten weeks of the year on the previous five years information; that way he knew they were ready and able to learn their sixth year curriculum. The man had been dull in his teaching and brutal to most of the other house students. It was obvious he was biased, but he was particularly brutal with the Gryffindor students. This sort of thing seemed to make his peers happy, but Emery felt that any victory won through house points by Slytherin would be hollow.

Herbology, Magical History, and Charms were inane and he found himself partner-less in each of those classes as well. Draco and his buddies had started to spread rumors that he was partially blind or that he was an inbred American and that's why his eyes were so strange. Some of the Ravenclaws had heard a rumor that he had killed a muggle born in America and spread it to the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs thus making him a well hated student all around the school by the time his last class finally let out.

As Emery made his way through the halls he saw Justin Finch-Fletchly, a sixth year Hufflepuff, start to throw a slug eating curse at him. Emery waved his wand and without saying a word deflected the curse, his multi-colored eyes narrowed on Justin and his two friends.

"Listen up, Justin and listen well. I don't know what bullshit rumors you heard, but if you are too stupid to realize that Albus Dumbledore would have never admitted a murderer into this school, you deserve the curse I will send back at you the next time you try to hex me."

Justin paled a bit as Hannah whispered to Ernie that Emery had used non-verbal magic. He looked sheepish. "So you didn't..."

"Of course not!" Emery growled. "Think about what you are accusing me of! Taking the life of another student? If I had done such a think wouldn't I be in a prison of some sort. Maybe even a sanitarium? For fuck's sake man, use your head before you go blindly believing idiotic rumors made up by students with more time on their hands than common sense."

The Hufflepuff blushed and then nodded before he and his friends took off running down the hall in the opposite direction he had been headed in. Emery continued walking, ignoring the shocked faces of students as he passed. How could people so completely devoid of sense? It was bad enough someone spread the rumor but to believe it with out question? Perhaps he had put too much faith in the student population of this school.

He headed out onto the grounds and let his angered feet lead him over the courtyard and to a large beautiful tree that's leaves were beginning to turn shades of red, brown and yellow. Crossing his legs under him as he sat down, Emery pulled out an old book from his backpack. It was extremely hot outside, but he just didn't feel like sitting in a dungeon. He was already being treated enough like a criminal, he didn't need to sit in a place that made him feel like he really might be one.

"Hey, Em, you mind if I sit here with you?" Emery looked up to see Pansy Parkinson looking down at him with an innocent smile. "I just wanted to apologize to you about all the stuff Draco is doing?"

With roll of his eyes Emery looked to Pansy. "Do I have stupid tattooed across my forehead? Get real Pansy and go bother someone else. I am not dumb enough to fall for your pathetic attempt to lure me into a false sense of security. You are on the outs with Draco, so you can have only two motives. The first, that you want Draco to think you are over him and trying to get close to me so that he will become jealous. If not that, then you were actually sent by Draco to play a prank on me. Either way, I want nothing to do with it, now go away before I cast a spell that makes you grow a mustache for two weeks."

He opened his book and began to read as Pansy huffed and stomped away without another word. A pleased smile crossed his face as he watched her return to her friends over the top of his book. At least he had escaped whatever prank they thought about playing on him. He read the first line of the book and his lips turned downward. He missed his mother, especially during times like these when he found himself surrounded by treacherous little rats who wanted to make his life miserable for absolutely no good reason.

"Harry! Harry give it back!" Hermoine's voice pulled him from his self-pitying thoughts as he looked up from his book. The pretty witch was reaching for a book that Harry and Ron were playing Keep Away with. She tried to jump a few times but both boys were too tall. "Come on you guys, I have a lot of homework to do."

Finally, Harry smiled and handed the book back to Hermoine. Ron moved in and placed an arm around her neck as if to apologize for the bit of teasing. The three started talking about something he couldn't quite make out as they headed back into the castle.

He really shouldn't like Hermoine Granger. It wasn't that she was rival to his house, he didn't care about that forbidden love crap, it was that she wasn't an American, it was that she was directly involved in war his mother was giving up everything she had to keep him out of. That and he imagined she was dating Ronald Weasley. The two were affectionate toward one another and it wasn't in Emery's nature to go after someone who was clearly involved with anyone else.

He stared at the place that Ron, Harry and Hermoine had been standing in as he imagined himself having friends, playing keep away and wrapping his arm about a pretty girl. It was all very possible, he wasn't a troll after all. So why did he seem to have such a hard time making friends? He stared off at the same spot, his thoughts wandering until someone sat down beside him and pulled out a book from their bag.

Blinking himself back to reality, Emery realized that Theodore Nott had taken out his advanced potions book. "What the Hell are you doing here?" Emery demanded, starting to get sick of these pathetic attempts from Draco.

"Homework. Shh." Theo glared before returning to his book. After several minutes of sitting in silence, Theo finally looked back up to him. "Relax, Graves. I am just reading. Draco and the others know not to involve me in their pranks. I find them stupid and immature."

"Pranks or Draco and his gang?" Emery questioned.

"Both." Theo returned without hesitation before he smiled genuinely.

Emery found himself smiling as he nodded. "Well be quiet then, would you? I am trying to read." He was pleased to see that Theo seemed amused by the reversal and went back to reading the assigned chapter. Maybe the first day hadn't been a complete nightmare after all.


	3. Chapter 3

Saturday of the First Week

Hermoine sat alone in the library, her nose buried in a book called Wizardly Survival Skills For Amateurs and Muggle Borns. Ron and Harry had left for their common room nearly two hours ago to play Wizards Chess until lunch time. She wasn't sure when, but she found herself watching two sixth year Slytherins sitting quietly while reading their own books. She recognized them both instantly; Theo Nott, who often laughed at Draco's insensitive jokes about her, and Emery Graves.

Neither boy spoke to the other, truthfully Hermoine wasn't altogether sure that either was aware of the other. Theo was reading a book on Magical Creatures and Emery was reading a book on...Hermoine blinked in surprise as she took a double take. He was reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Not only was it a muggle book, but it was a love story to boot.

"Is something bothering you, Hermoine?" Emery growled from behind his book, his eyes looking to her expectantly.

Theodore glanced up at Emery's outburst. The corners of his mouth just slightly raised as he looked from Emery to Hermoine and back to his book again.

"No I am just surprised to see a pure-blood reading a muggle book. Not to mention a sixteen year old boy reading Pride and Prejudice." She answered honestly.

Once more Theo looked up from his book, though this time he looked to his roommate's book. Upon seeing that Hermoine was right, Theo smiled to her, "He's homesick, Hermoine. If you look at the book cover you can see the name Amelia written under the barcode. His, Mother."

The girl couldn't have been more stunned if Theo had slapped her in the face. It was no secret that the shy and brooding Theodore Nott rarely spoke, but it was especially rare for him to speak to a Gryffindor. His tone had been kind, maybe even friendly. But why? She couldn't help but wonder if Theo was being insulting somehow. To any other house, Theo had simply been polite and social; but was that how a Slytherin would see it? No, she decided. A Slytherin would see it as airing dirty laundry or worse, highlighting a weakness to their enemy.

If Emery's angry glare, flushed cheeks or clenched fists were any indicator, she would say that he saw it in the same light as she had guessed. Standing up, Emery looked ready to pull his wand. Theo simply looked up at Emery with a thoughtful gaze before looking back to his book with a lazy shrug. Clearly he didn't think Emery was much of a threat. Or maybe, Hermoine reasoned, he was calling his bluff. Perhaps he was even silently challenging him? With a Slytherin involved there was no way of telling for sure.

"I think it's a lovely book." Hermoine said softly, calling his attention back to her. "I don't normally like fiction, but there are quite a few authors who have managed to draw me into their worlds."

Emery's odd eyes founds hers as he gave a genuine smile. With a few steps he stood beside her. "Really? You seemed far to progressive for these old-fashioned ideas of female behavior and love."

With a soft blush, Hermoine shook her head. "Actually that's what I love about Elizabeth Bennett most. She is very progressive because she doesn't care what a feminist or a traditionalist ought to do. She stands by her own personal set of ideals and convictions regardless of how anyone might view her."

Shaking his head, Emery continued to smile. "Really, Hermoine, you surprise me. I would love to continue this discussion with you. Why don't we go down to the great hall and continue over lunch?"

"Is it lunch time already?" Hermoine gasped as she checked her wrist watch. "I always seem to lose the time when I am reading." She blushed again under his gaze. "Harry and Ron are probably waiting for me, though...If you are brave you could join us?"

"Gryffindors seem to think they are the only ones capable of being courageous and bold." Emery smirked as he offered her the crook of his elbow after he had stowed his book away in backpack. "I am obliged to prove you all wrong."

Hermoine took his arm with a smile and allowed him to lead her out of the library. What she didn't see as they left was the conspiratorial wink between Emery and the still seated Slytherin as they passed.

Upon entering the great hall, Hermoine knew they had caught the attention of a lot of their fellow students. Malfoy appeared completely annoyed while Crabbe and Goyle looked positively incensed. Girls from all four houses watched Hermoine with wonder or jealousy. The majority of her own house simply looked surprised and suspicious.

"Your house looks pretty upset." Hermoine frowned as they walked toward the Gryffindor table.

"No, Hermoine, only Malfoy and his friends look upset along with a handful of girls who had decided that I'm hot or something. Malfoy is not Slytherin and he is not their sole representative. Most of the table could care less. They are not about to be distracted from what they are doing by an odd couple walking to lunch."

Hermoine dared a second look at the Slytherin table and found that he was right. The seventh years were all reading, talking amongst their own group of friends, or eating their lunch. The younger years were completely uninterested as a whole and were focused again on either their lunches or their own friends.

"Hermoine, why the Hell have you brought a Slytherin to our table?" Ron demanded as they stood now before her friends. "Are you mad?"

"On what grounds do you reject me?" Emery asked coolly as his eyes took in the red headed boy. Unlike his house table, all of the Gryffindors were staring at him with apprehension, like he was some kind of troll about to smash their table.

"The only ground necessary, you are Slytherin! You are into all of that blood-status nonsense. You are likely to become a dark wizard and very likely to become a Death Eater." Harry interjected capturing the attention of most of the students of all four houses.

"Oh bull shit." Emery laughed as he took a seat, uncaring of the angry looks he was getting from the surprised Gryffindors. "To be a good Slytherin, one only needs to be ambitious, cunning, resourceful, and well, I would have said intelligent but having met Crabbe and Goyle, that is definitely not the case." Dean, Ginny, Seamus and Hermoine laughed. "We also tend to be survivalists and yes, in a lot of cases, traditionalists. But there will always be exceptions to one or two traits in every house."

"Name one decent Slytherin." Harry challenged furiously.

"Fine, Merlin for one. How about Professor Slughorn? You gonna call him a bad man? What about Professor Snape? Sure he's an ass but is he really evil?" Emery shrugged speaking quite calmly. "I can tell you Potter, your hatred for Slytherin is no different than the blood-status zealot's hatred of muggle borns. The bias is no different in my eyes. You hate and distrust all of us because of a stereotype, while they hate and distrust muggle borns. I think perhaps you might be more Slytherin than you are letting on."

Harry was on his feet in an instant, his wand clutched tightly in his hand, but still by his side and not yet aimed. "How dare you compare me to those filthy murderers? My Godfather is dead because Slytherin is allowed to exist! I don't even know why we allow them in this school? Everyone of them will grow up to be murderous, hateful Death Eaters just like their parents!"

The entire hall was now stunned into silence as every eye moved to the standing Harry and still seated Emery. Even the teachers had been taken by surprise as they quietly watched for the American's reaction to Harry.

Finally choosing to stand, Emery calmly and with out anger looked to his challenger. "Harry Potter, not all Slytherins are evil serpents out to get you. In America, the serpent is used on most medical shields. Do you know why? Because of it's correlation with alchemy, a precursor to medicinal droughts. We are not all murderers. Some of us have lost our family and friends to Death Eaters, too. Some of us, still, wish to do all we can to make this world a better place.

"Hell, Potter, some of the greatest Muggles in the world would have been Slytherin's had they been schooled here. I would bet Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison, J.F.K, Joan of Arc, Margaret Thatcher, Theodore Roosevelt, and Ronald Reagan all would have been Slytherin. Why even the Great Gatsby would have been a Slytherin. Every tale you have ever heard of a poor nobody becoming a rich, powerful and influential individual was just as likely to be a Slytherin as they were a Gryffindor."

Most of the students looked confused by this particular reference as they started asking their friends about him. "Emery, The Great Gatsby was a cautionary tale on the American Dream and how evil ambition really is." Hermoine stated softly, though everyone heard her none the less.

"So your interpretation says." Emery smiled openly to the girl. "The real lesson was that falling in love with a shallow, self-absorbed woman with a drinking habit will destroy all of your ambitions and get you shot in the back by said woman's, husband's mistress' husband." He looked back to Harry. "My point, Potter, is simply this. Don't judge me based on a few assholes and your interactions with them. Funny how you ALL seem to forget how many of your own houses produced dark wizards and witches over the years. Slytherin House is the only one hated because we are not ashamed to reach for the stars, we are not afraid to use every damned resource available to attain our goals and we do not feel obliged to bow down and kiss the ass of any man, woman, or child who thinks they are better than us without first proving it."

A roar erupted from one side of the room. The cheer, which had only ever been heard form the often quiet and reserved Slytherin's during a quidditch match, shocked everyone else. Emery Graves stood stoically as his house vocally praised his words, his eyes looking over Harry Potter waiting for the young man's rebuttal.

The darkly muddled red face of Harry Potter glared darkly at Emery as the entire school watched and waited for his reaction. He would not be made a fool of, he would not let Emery defend the very house that was responsible for every death in his all to young life. The snarky prat had no idea what he had gone through; how dare he stand there and debate with him? He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by an unexpected voice.

"A fine debate this has been, but I think it should be left to the proper venue." Albus spoke as he entered the great hall. "Mr. Graves, Mr. Potter, I would like to see you both in my office along with your heads of houses." He sent a meaningful look to Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall who had been seated with the other two heads of houses at the head table.

"Figures. We finally get a Slytherin to properly defend us and he gets in trouble for it." Theo smirked to Blaise. The comment from one of the quietest students in the entire school was heard by all.

Hermoine wasn't sure when Theo had come into the great hall to join his house for lunch, but as Harry and Emery left the table, the impact of his words had a considerable effect on all four houses. Combined with the the sloppy but accurate speech of Mr. Graves, the students were asking questions that they had never known should be asked. The most of upsetting of which was; Did Albus Dumbledore discriminate against the Slytherins? Was he biased? She couldn't help but wonder the same thing as Harry followed the Headmaster with his head held high, assured that he had won this round.

* * *

Severus Snape sat quietly beside his student while they waited for Dumbledore to finish speaking with Harry and Professor McGonagall. He had seen brash, outspoken, and charismatic Slytherins before. Lucious Malfoy had been one such Slytherin, as had of course been Tom Riddle. It's was what made them capable leaders who molded the minds of the young, ignorant, or desperate into loyal followers who would give their lives up to protect or serve them.

Still, the teen was tacky, infantile and clumsy. He had a lot of potential, but he was not very elegant or composed. If Emery Graves was going to live up to that raw and impressive potential, he needed to stop acting like the arrogant and pig-headed Potter. Perhaps when they returned to the dungeon he would have a little chat with Mr. Graves.

His eyes then assessed the boy from behind the wall of his thick black greasy hair. Emery was sitting quietly, calmly, and patiently. His curly black hair was mostly pulled back save for several strands that had fallen loose around his pale face. A tug of familiarity pulled at Severus as that strange blue eye of Emery's stared determinedly at the stone floor. His thin face was full of proud and yet subtle features. His nose, while strong, fit his face well, especially when combined with his soft and sharply defined lips. Lips he knew he had seen before...but when and where?

"You know, I don't have a problem with gays, but I think staring at your underage student like that is frowned upon in nearly every civilized society." Emery said as one side of his lips twisted up into a smirk.

"Fifteen points, Mr. Graves, for being tacky, crude and vulgar." Snape hissed as he looked full on at his student. "You can't be an effective or credible speaker until you learn to curb those wild accusations and your foul mouth.

"You will find your words carry more barbs when they are subtle, indirect and at times, even a little vague. To leave the most impact and insult all you need do is allow their own fears and insecurities to play on your words. This is a skill most of your peers have already mastered in the Slytherin house." Snape lectured. "Use that head of yours and think before you speak. You will find that very difficult at first, but eventually you will see the fruits of your efforts blossom."

Angered and insulted, Emery shook his head. "My words carry plenty of impact, even the Slytherin house seemed to approve as they cheered me on."

"Only to overly emotional fools like Harry Potter, do your insults make an impact. Brainless twits are easy to enrage and befuddle. As for your house peers, they cheered because no one has ever defended their house in such a bold, public and likeable way. It was very Gryffindor and most believe you chose their bumbling style to emphasize your point and add insult to injury against the house of crimson and gold. I however, know they have given you far too much credit."

Emery did not outwardly flinch or blush at the man's words, his young face remaining cool and collected. Inwardly, however, he winced as if burnt by a flame. The man was right and that knowledge only made it more painful to bare. He listened closely, even as he feigned disinterest. He knew that if he seemed like some eager puppy with a wagging tail, Professor Snape would become angry and more inclined to greater insults. It was becoming apparent that having Snape's good opinion might be crucial to surviving the next two years of schooling.

"Professor Snape, Mr. Graves," Albus smiled as he approached them. "Why don't you both come and join Harry and Professor McGonagall?" Despite how the old wizard crafted his words to sound like an invitation, both Slytherins knew that this was not a request. If it had been, neither would be there.

* * *

"So what happened, Graves?" Theo asked from his bed, his eyes barely looking up from his book as Emery walked into their shared room. "I mean one minute you are having a discussion with Hermoine and the next, you are debating with Dumbledore's chosen one!"

"Everything was going according to plan until that idiot opened his big fucking mouth!" Emery snarled.

"Yeah, that was quite a show." Theo shrugged, though his eyes laughed mischievously at his new friend. "Harry Potter's popularity goes up and down every year but no matter what end of the spectrum he is on it's pretty much a guarantee that if he is involved, the entire school will watch."

"I wouldn't mind if he wasn't such a hypocrite!" Emery practically shouted as he began to pace. "Who is he to judge? Who is he to, to call us all murderers? We are called Slytherins, not Death Eaters!"

Behind that thick textbook, Theo dared to smile as he heard the young man's words. It was good to have such a lively and engaging roommate for once. Many of his peers were content to let him be and on most days, Theo was grateful for it. There was so much happening in their world and he spent most of his free time on figuring out where he stood in the midst of it all. Still, the reclusive boy had never realized how starved for camaraderie he was until Emery had been made his one and only roommate.

As Emery's words really began to sink in, Theo realized that it was his survivalist's nature that caused him to follow and go along with the cruel pranks of Draco and his goons. He had always wanted to cause as little trouble as possible and it had also been much safer within and outside of school to laugh at Malfoy's jokes. Yet, one thing Theo had always known was that he did not want to follow in his father's footsteps, nor did he want to become a Death Eater. Thanks to Emery's presence, Theo was convinced that his courage was growing day by day.

"I like that." Theo smiled. "We are called Slytherins, not Death Eaters." The phrase was so simple and yet for all it's truth no one seemed to know it.

Emery returned the smile as he sat down on his bed, his rage eased by the comfort he felt by Theo's reaction. He had always been so alone in the past and yet for the first time in his life, he felt a connection and a bond with someone other than his mother.

"So what did Dumbledore say?" Theo asked, his eyes settled on Emery intently.

"You are never going to believe this." Emery shook his head. "He told Harry and I that we are each to create an inter-house ten man team consisting of at least one student from each of the four houses. He said that if we could be more open in a non-magic setting that all the houses might learn to get along better. Professor Snape and McGonagall are to find non-biased Professors to act as our judges as well as come up with good debate topics for us." His two different colored eyes looked to Theo. "It was so obvious that Professor Snape wasn't pleased, but he didn't punish me."

"Our head of house rarely, if ever, punishes his own. He hates the other houses too much to put us at a disadvantage. While he hates all three houses, all three houses hate us. We have more professors out to get us which is why Professor Snape takes so many points from the others houses." Theo paused with a shrug before adding "Or at least that's how Trolley explained it."

Emery rolled his eyes. "While I can see his line of thinking but did he ever stop to consider that by docking the other houses like that, he only encourages the other heads of houses to be more aggressive in docking points from us?"

"Hence why he doesn't dock us." Theo laughed. "All in all, Emery, I have to say that Dumbledore just rose in my esteem. I thought for sure you were in trouble. Was Potter all buggered?"

"Buggered?" Emery tilted his head as he tried to make sense of the English slang. "Well he's furious if that's what you mean. He was so angry he didn't even look at me or our Professor when joined them for the discussion; so I am guessing he got a pretty nasty lecture."

"It's about time." Theo growled. "He's Dumbledore's Chosen One. Every professor in this school just worships and spoils him. He never gets in trouble, by the end of every year he is some kind of hero and yet every year he becomes a bigger, what's the word you use? Asshole."

While Emery would normally have loved to jump all over the 'Let's Hate on Harry Potter' bandwagon, there was one thing that he knew Theo was forgetting. "I haven't been here for the past five years, but one thing I know to be true is that his Godfather was really killed by Bellatrix LeStrange when You-Know-Who returned. I have also heard that Draco's father, among others were the ones who helped her kill the last of his family off." He bit at his bottom lip and then shrugged. "Can you really say that the pain of a loved one's death wouldn't make you a little moody? That it wouldn't make you bitter or hateful to anyone related to or possibly involved with the murderer?"

"Yeah but it doesn't make his behavior right! Or the favoritism!" Theo argued.

"Doesn't it? Besides, our head of house doesn't even try to be fair, especially when dealing with the Gryffindor house. His behavior only antagonizes Harry's." Emery pointed out.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning Emery sat in the common room working on his advanced potions assignment. He was nearly finished and looking forward to spending the rest of his day people watching. He wanted to start recruiting teammates as quickly as possible before Harry Potter took up all the best students from each house. The boy was incredibly popular as it was, but now that the wizarding community knew he and Dumbledore hadn't been lying about Lord Voldemort's return, he was damned near worshiped by most of the student body.

He finally finished his proof reading and measured his scroll. He was pleased with the outcome. Professor Slughorn had been more than pleased to find that the American schools were on the same level as Hogwarts. Most of the professors had expressed concern during that first week and all but Professor Snape had been quite impressed, and even then, it wasn't that Snape was disappointed. He just hadn't made any mention of it, good or bad.

"So, Graves," Draco's voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned to see him and his two henchman standing behind his chair. "That was pretty impressive last night. I think you and I got off on the wrong foot."

"Oh, please." Emery sneered. "What do you want, Malfoy?"

"I think you should reconsider your attitude toward us. We could be great friends." Draco said with a smug smile.

"Oh? What brought about this change of heart?" Emery questioned with annoyance.

"After you stood up to Potter, I realized that you could be of use to my noble and proud house. You can prove that we aren't the enemy here at this school. You can make them see that Potter and his mud-blood friend are nothing but liars bent on dragging my family's good name through the mud." Draco explained.

As Emery listened he realized that Malfoy thought he was ignorant to his father's crimes. The fact that the entire wizarding world was watching England and it's news outlets with extreme caution had never occurred to the Slytherin. He was unaware that the entire world knew his father had been locked up in Azkaban along with Goyle, Crabbe and a few other fathers of the current Slytherin students. Every American wizard or witch he had known spoke non-stop over the last month of summer vacation of how Lord Voldemort himself had broken his Death Eaters out of the prison.

"I don't follow, Malfoy. What the Hell are you talking about?" Emery asked with well rehearsed confusion and ignorance.

"Well, Potter accused my father of being a Death Eater along with a few other parents of our house peers. You have a way with the other houses. You can turn everyone on Potter."

"But your parents are Death Eaters. You know we do have newspapers in America." Emery scowled, dropping the act. Malfoy's arrogance was too aggravating to let him think he was being manipulated by him. "All of your fathers were imprisoned and then they broke free with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's help."

"Watch what you say!" Crabbe threatened as he clenched his fists and took a step toward Emery.

Quickly, Emery decided that being seated was not the best position to be in when dealing with a three on one scenario. "Relax boys, I am not here to judge. All I am saying is that your fathers are already convicted criminals and the whole school knows it. You guys continuing to openly support your parents is what is hurting you. You'll never be trusted, you'll never be able to gain the confidences of our school mates."

"We don't need them." Draco denied. "Our families have enough of their own connections and resources. We don't traipse around with nasty mud-bloods or blood traitors."

Emery glared at Draco as his upper lip curled into a disgusted sneer. "Taken right out of your father's mouth, eh Malfoy?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Draco asked, though he knew exactly what it meant as he took a step closer to the American.

"I am just curious as to when you are going to grow a pair and be your own man, Luci- I mean Draco." Emery smirked.

"No, no. You had it right the first time." Theo added from his own seat in the common room. Emery had known he was there, but by the surprised looks on Draco and his lackey's faces they hadn't been aware of his presence.

"You better watch yourself, Theo." Draco growled. "My father speaks to your father often and we all know what a nasty temper he has."

"That's enough of you!" Emery shouted, a strange anger and pain filling the teenager's eyes. "Don't you dare make your threats or I will make sure the entire school knows what a coward you are. You are already one of the most hated students, it would be more than easy for me to humiliate the whole lot of you publicly and show them what frightened little rats you are. Now back off and don't you ever threaten me or my friend again."

Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy took a step back as a great magical energy filled the room. Even Theo was surprised by the uneasy feeling he was getting from the angered transfer student. Several students who had been listening in decided this was not the place to be, leaving the five teenagers all alone in the common room.

As the heavy oppression lingered in the air, Malfoy studied Emery Graves. Was he bluffing?A week into the school year and he already commanded the attention of a vast majority of the student body. The American was interesting and Malfoy knew it could be both a blessing and a curse. He just needed to take a deep breath and wait this out before making any moves. His cold blue eyes then moved to Theo Nott who regarded him with the same glacial gaze. He would make Theodore Nott pay for taking the wrong side as well.

"What makes you think we are friends, Graves?" Theo asked, his voice smooth as silk and cold as ice. "Razzing Draco a bit doesn't make us enemies and certainly doesn't make you and I Ronald Weasely and Harry Potter. I don't need you to have my back, Draco already does."

Slowly, the blonde teenager smiled victoriously. "I knew you couldn't be so stupid, Theo." His eyes narrowed on a confused and shocked Emery. "Best be careful, Graves. You are surrounded by Slytherins, or as every other house says, you are in a viper's pit."

Never in his life, had Emery backed down to intimidation. He had taken beatings and successes without once cowering or bowing down to those who tried to make him a victim. Yet here, everything was so much more subtle and intense. There was a lot more at stake. His pride had kept him in every fight and yet he could hear a nagging voice warning him not to stand, not to take on the sons of the most influential Death Eaters.

Emery's right brow rose as he looked over Malfoy with angered resolve. "Funny, I don't see any vipers, Malfoy." He smirked then. "All I see are mice."

* * *

Severus Snape sat uncomfortably at his desk in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. His head was aching with the need for sleep, his stomach ill from the lack of food. Lord Voldemort didn't care to keep track of time and so after calling all of his followers to him early Sunday morning he kept everyone of them at the Malfoy manner until this Monday morning. He had just barely gotten himself back to the castle and was not looking forward to dealing with his sixth year class.

He watched with great annoyance as his class filed in silently. He had finally broken them of their noisy entrance by taking up to twenty five points from each student until they all kept their mouths shut. Severus had always hated mornings as it was and loud students only served to make him more volatile.

His black eyes followed every student to their seat as he mentally took roll. His groggy irritation was temporarily shunted as he watched five of his own house walk into the dark and gloomy classroom. Theo Nott led them and appeared no different than he had any other morning for the past six years; Draco Malfoy however, had a fat and busted lower lip. Crabbe walked in with a black eye and a nasty looking knot on his forehead. Goyle, too had a black eye, but no other bruises or swelling. Emery Graves came in last with a busted and fat lip, a black eye and what appeared to be a poorly mended broke nose.

Several of the Gryffindor students, including the 'Golden Trio' stared curiously at his four Slythereins. It was evident that one of the five boys had cast a 'vanity's disgrace' spell. Casting it made sure that whoever fought in the vicinity of the spell, couldn't hide any of the wounds received. Snape was almost positive that Gregory Goyle had been the one to cast it. Mr. Goyle had always been particularly fond of it as he enjoyed brawling and seeing his handy work on his victims. Like father, like son.

Hermoine gasped, along with several other girls in the class, as she saw the four boys come in. There were no point deductions this morning so it was fairly safe to assume that the boys had fought each other in the confines of their own house dormitories. Wizards rarely fought each other without magic, so to see their faces bruised and swollen was a shock to nearly everyone. Hermoine also observed that Emery seemed to have borne the brunt of the fight.

"What do you think happened?" Ron asked in a whisper as Professor Snape wrote their assignment on the black board.

"Fifteen points Mr. Weasely for interrupting my class." Professor Snape growled without looking away from the board.

Ron blushed a bright red as he glared murderously at the black robed man's back. Harry joined him in this as he mentally added one more reason he hated Severus Snape to an already long and growing list. Hermoine however, frowned as she wisely kept her mouth shut; though her eyes wandered back to Emery Graves.

His sullen look was almost alien. His expression, she realized, had been carefully chosen to hide whatever he was really feeling. His eyes held fire and anger, but his down turned mouth hinted at sorrow and if she wasn't mistaken, disappointment.

"Twenty points, Miss Granger, for inattentiveness." Snape barked as he finally turned to face the class. He was pleased to see her incensed young face as she bit her tongue. Looking to the side of her, he knew Harry would not be able to keep quiet, but it wasn't the chosen one's voice he heard next.

"Seems a bit unfair, Professor Snape. You had yet to speak, you were clearly unprepared for class yourself and I have no problem with Hermoine Granger staring at me. We all know I am the most attractive sixth year at Hogwarts."

Ron nearly choked as Harry's green eyes went wide with disbelief. Hermoine, too, was stunned as Emery called on his own Head of House. His Slytherin classmates were watching him with hateful expressions. Severus however, held back all of his fury behind a mask of unamused censure. He had never been called out by a student of his house before.

"Come on Professor, where are my deduction of house points?" Emery challenged, his eyes still raging. "Or are you just as biased as Albus Dumbledore?"

"Shut your mouth, Graves!" Crabbe shouted from his seat beside Malfoy and Goyle.

"Or what? You're going to remind of me of how your mother hits?" Emery snarled as he stood.

Blinking, Hermoine watched their professor. He had never lost control of a class before, but especially not to his own students. The pale man's black eyes were intently focused on Emery and Hermoine wondered if he wasn't acting on purpose? Did he want to see what Emery and Crabbe would do? What they would say?

Crabbe stood while Malfoy gave his signature arrogant smile. Emery seemed to have completely underestimated the professor's protection of his own. Malfoy knew Snape was a Death Eater, too. Malfoy believed with absolute certainty that Snape already knew of the American's comments and was going to give him the cold shoulder in this situation.

Emery stood defiantly, daring Crabbe to come forward and fight him. Hadn't Malfoy's gang figured out yet that he would never back down? He had promised himself last night that he would never cower, no matter how much danger it put him in. He had been bullied all of his life and sixteen years of habit and sub-conscious training wasn't going to be changed now in the face of something as ugly and ignorant as Vincent Crabbe and the biased Severus Snape.

Just as Crabbe tried to leave his desk he found his feet planted to the ground. "Tell me, Malfoy, what spell is keeping Crabbe rooted in place." The soft baritone voice of Snape asked, bringing the attention of his class back to him.

Malfoy looked at the ground to see that the souls of Crabbe's shoes now looked like thick rubber roots that had been driven into the stone floors, holding him firmly in place. "Calcitrapa." The Professor nodded and encouraged him to continue. "It's Latin for foot trap."

"Twenty five points Draco, well done." Snape's eyes moved to to Pansy. "Tell me Ms. Parkinson, who cast the spell on Crabbe and how was it cast?"

Pansy looked around. "It was cast silently, Professor. By Emery?"

"Ten points to Ms. Parkinson. The spell was cast silently. Potter, who cast the spell?" Severus glared at Harry as he waited for the answer.

Hermoine frowned as she knew that Harry and Ron thought their Defense teacher was setting them up for failure, but she wasn't so sure. This felt like a message, somehow, like he was trying to tell them all something, but Potter in particular.

Harry looked about the room. Who could cast a silent spell that would want to? He thought Pansy had been right, that Emery had been the one to cast the spell. Again his eyes scanned the room looking for someone who might be skilled and learned enough to be good at casting silent spells. Much to his distaste there was only one person in the class who would have been taught such a thing. "Draco Malfoy?"

Emery rolled his oddly colored eyes as Snape shook his head. "That's minus fifteen points, Potter." Snape smirked as he looked to Hermoine. _No, the girl will know. _He thought as he looked back to one of his own. "Mr. Graves, who silently cast Calcitrapa?"

"You did, Professor Snape." It wasn't a guess or a question.

"Twenty points, Mr. Graves, if you can tell me why." Snape said as all eyes were now glued to Snape or Emery.

"Two reasons." Again there was no doubt in the young man's voice, just confidence that he knew the answer to his questions. "One was to prevent further disorder in your class and to bring the attention back to you; the second was to prove a point. We will not always be able to see or hear magic spells being cast or applied. Had you been an enemy, Crabbe would never have had the chance to prepare himself to take you on."

"Very good, Mr. Graves. Now both of you take your seats." Severus turned back towards the board and then paused. "Twenty points, Mr. Graves, for your disrespectful impertinence and detention tonight after your evening meal."

* * *

The day passed slowly for Hermoine Granger. After the encounter in Defense Against the Dark Arts, everything had seemed so banal. She was intrigued by what she had seen earlier, what she had watched of the Slytherin house and even it's leader. Day by day, Hermoine felt as if she was picking up on things she had never known to look for from the house of silver and green. They spoke in a completely different language, they moved and talked in very precise manners and everything they did seemed to have a specific reason or goal.

While Hermoine didn't have a lot of classes with Emery, there was something very off-putting about the young man that stuck with her in every class. He was confident, smooth and quite intelligent. To his own house he presented a hateful, rebellious and outcast sort of persona, but with the rest of the school he was charming, kind, and charismatic. Girls spoke of him with high regard in nearly every house and even amongst the boys he was generally well liked and it was only the first week of school. She felt certain that if Emery Graves chose to do so, most of the school would follow him anywhere.

She had been walking to her advanced potions class when a thought struck her. Hermoine audibly gasped and then covered her mouth. He reminded her of Tom Riddle, of how Harry and Ginny had described him as a teenager. Tom, too had been well liked and highly charismatic. He was obviously a natural leader, but most importantly she remembered an old newspaper with his picture in it. The black hair, the dark eyes and pale skin with that crooked smile. Was Emery a relation to him? No, he couldn't be. Tom Riddle was an orphan and had no siblings. She stood frozen in place just beside the potions class as her teeth worried at her bottom lip.

"Something wrong, Hermoine?" Her eyes raised to see Emery standing before her with an expression of concern on his face.

"No, not at all, Emery. Just lost in thought." She shrugged, but seeing his pale blue left eye surrounded by black and purple bruising made him look sinister. She shivered as she tried to get the though out of her head.

Emery frowned as he seemed to take note of her reaction. He shook his head and walked into the class without saying another word to her, his steps angered and fast. While pulling out his book he sat at the table he had been at for the past week and was pleasantly surprised to see Neville Longbottom sitting at the same table.

As Hermoine walked in after Emery, she was surprised to see that Neville had taken his seat at Emery's table. This normally wouldn't have bothered her, but apparently it left Ron as her partner. She looked to see Harry sitting beside Cho Chang as they talked very quietly amongst themselves.

"What's going on? Why are you sitting with me?" Hermoine asked Ron.

"Apparently Cho just had to speak to Harry this instant." Ron rolled his eyes. "Hey but at least you don't have to sit with Neville."

"Watch out, Graves, with Longbottom as your partner, you're liable to smell like him, too." Malfoy hissed as he and Blaise Zabini joined the class and took their seats.

Neville's gaunt face flushed red as he stood up, only to feel Emery take his hand. "Relax, Neville, if I wanted a different partner I would have sat at a different table," Emery smiled openly. "Actually, I am glad you sat next to me."

"Really?" Neville blinked.

"Yeah. I have been looking out for you all day so that I could get a chance to talk to you." Emery nodded, his voice sincere and pleasant.

Malfoy and Blaise frowned as they ignored the boys, their fun clearly ruined by Emery's acceptance of the awkward Gryffindor. They spoke quietly until Professor Slughorn walked in, his eyes moving immediately to Hermoine and Harry with a welcoming gaze. Malfoy knew he was being snubbed thanks to his father's reputation and it irritated him profusely. When Snape had been their Potions Master, he was guaranteed preferential treatment. He wasn't used to being treated like a pathetic mud-blood.

As Professor Slughorn began his lecture, Hermoine took her notes dutifully. Ron however, kept staring back at Harry and Cho. "What do you think they are talking about? You don't think they're going to get back together do you?" He asked very quietly.

"I doubt it. Neither of them seemed interested and they still don't. Cho is probably just worried about him. You can remain friends with someone you aren't snogging anymore, Ron." Hermoine whispered back.

"No you can't." Ron argued with a roll of his eyes. "Girls are too...I don't know, but it's just not possible Hermoine."

"Shh, I am trying to listen to Professor Slughorn's lecture." Hermoine snapped quietly.

"Ugh, no offense, but you're kind of a drag to sit next to." Ron frowned as he looked back to his best friend and Cho. "I can't wait for dinner, I'm starving."

"What was that Mr. Weasel?" Professor Slughorn asked. "Did you have a question?"

Ronald found himself blushing as most of the class looked to him, why couldn't the man get his name right? He was certain that Slughorn hadn't heard him, but knew most of his classmates had. "Yes, actually, I was just wondering what would happen if you," He stalled and looked to Hermoine, but after realizing she wasn't going to help him out he looked back to Slughorn. "What would happen if you umm, you know if you gave a love potion to a house elf?"

"Why Ron, having trouble finding a girlfriend?" Malfoy interrupted, causing several students to laugh.

"Minus five points from your house, Draco." Professor Slughorn said calmly before looking to Ron. He smiled. "Actually, your question is a rather interesting one and I am glad you brought it up. There have been several times through out history where the effects of potions were tested on house elves. Can anyone tell me if the tests were successful?"

Hermoine and Emery were the only two to raise their hands. Professor Slughorn smiled and pointed to Emery. "Let's have you give it a go, Mr. Graves, was it?"

"Yes, Professor." Emery nodded. "The testing was highly successful in the sense that the potions work the same on them as they do on us, but it was unsuccessful in other ways."

"Very good, Mr. Graves. Five point to your house." Professor Slughorn smiled and looked to Hermoine. "My Dear Girl, can you tell us all in what ways it was deemed unsuccessful?"

"The success of the potion testing was it's own downfall." Hermoine said, her voice struggling to remain calm as she spoke about an issue that clearly left her feeling enraged. "Elves often died, got sick or were incapacitated thus making them useless to their Slavers. Some wizards and witches still test their potions on them, however most won't because it becomes inconvenient."

"Slavers?" Professor Slughorn frowned for a moment and then smiled. "Well, I suppose I can see where some may it see it that way. None the less, excellent answer, five points to your house as well." He then focused back on Ron. "So to answer your question, yes Mr. Wimbly, a love potion would work on a house elf."

"Thanks, Professor." Ron again blushed.

* * *

"So what do you say, Neville? Are you in?" Emery asked as they walked toward the dining hall together.

"I don't know, Emery. Are you sure I am the best student to be asking?" Neville asked, his dark brown eyes falling to the floor in shame. "My Gran,"

"I don't care what your Gran has done or said in the past. I know you are easily one of the best and brightest in the whole school, let alone your house or year. Trust me, I never bet on the wrong man." Emery promised him as he placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "So what do you say? Join my debate team?"

Neville couldn't believe he was the first student that Emery Graves would pick as a teammate and yet the sixth year Slytherin insisted he was absolutely the first person he had gone to. What really made Neville nervous, was whether or not this was some kind of prank. Even his own house had teased and played pranks on him before and he just didn't know how much more he could take.

"Longbottom, I swear to you, there is no other who knows Herbology like you do or even Potions ingredients outside of our professors or Hermoine Granger. Come on, man. You have to be on my team." Emery offered a sincere and friendly smile as they reached the entrance to the great hall.

"Alright, I will do it, but don't say I didn't warn you if everything goes wrong." Neville reluctantly answered. "Just ask around, I am nothing but a loser."

"Neville, I am not a loser and I don't hang around with losers. I only want winners on my team and of all the people in our sixth year, I asked you first. I don't bet on people who aren't worth my time, only the best. Welcome to the team, Longbottom."


	5. Chapter 5

It wasn't as if Emery enjoyed the attention he was starting to gain from his peers. If he had been one of those Draco Malfoy or Harry Potter types who soaked up the attention like a sponge, that would be one thing, but day by day, Emery felt more and more like he was losing himself. More often than not Emery acted like himself around his Slytherin housemates, but to the rest of the school he was an odd but kind young man.

His teachers were all beginning to like him, except of course Professor Snape who eyed him suspiciously anytime they were in close proximity. Students felt more comfortable around him with the exception of the two students he had wanted close to him. Theo Nott hung out with Draco Malfoy and his goons during most of his free time while Hermoine Granger, the girl he shouldn't have stared at so often, talked to him less and less everyday. At first he thought she was just being abnormally shy, but then he realized she was staring at him as if he were some kind of fiend.

"Good morning, Emery." Luna smiled pleasantly to him as she walked beside him on their way to Care of Magical Creatures.

"Morning, Luna." Emery returned the kind greeting because Luna was easily one of his favorite classmates. Her odd and soft-spoken nature made him feel at ease. "Ready to see what Magical Creature we get to see today?"

"Is that really the question you wanted to ask me?" Luna tilted her head. "I think it was something else. Something that you are afraid to ask?"

"Since when do you play psychic?" Emery grinned charmingly as a strand of thick wavy black hair fell over his face.

"Oh, I am not playing the role of a psychic, but I can tell by that curious expression on your face. You've worn it for the past week. Specifically since you asked Neville Longbottom to join your inter-house debate team."

Emery knew he should have been concerned that the girl was picking up on too much about him, but that was actually the reason he liked Luna so much. Luna knew a lot more than people realized and was very intelligent. However, even with all her cleverness what impressed him most was that she was able to pick up on what things she discovered that should be kept a secret or who they could be shared with if it all. He didn't mind that Luna was figuring things out about him because it meant that there was one person outside of his Slytherin house who might really know him.

"Ok, fine. Will you join my debate team?" He asked outright.

As Emery and Luna joined their classmates at Hagrid's hut, Theo Nott, the only other Slytherin sixth year in the class, glared hatefully at their arrival. While Luna didn't appear to notice the narrowed eyes on her, Emery was sure that the strange girl not only took notice of it but had quickly decided on the best course of action.

"Yes, Emery. When will our first meeting be?" She asked as she tucked a strand of her white blond hair behind her ears.

"Well I still have to get the rest of the team together, but if you wouldn't mind studying up on the sport of debate in the meantime that would help quite a bit." He looked over toward Theo to see his one time friend looking angrier and angrier by the minute. He wasn't sure what the boy's problem was, but he wasn't going to let it affect him.

"I wonder what's upsetting Theodore?" Luna asked in an almost melodic tone, her own eyes catching Theo's as she smiled and waved to him.

"Who cares?" Emery shrugged as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his black pants. "He's a fake anyhow."

"A fake?" She looked to Emery and then back to Theo. "No more than you, I think." She shrugged.

The wavy haired boy looked away from his friend and her all to accurate comment. His eyes wandered to Theo once more and found the young man staring angrily at the dirt beneath his boots. What had he done to upset Theo? He was fairly certain Theo didn't hate him, but why had he suddenly decided to join up with Draco, again? He wanted to believe that the boy had done it just to keep the slimy little blonde from telling his father about their friendship, but he hadn't thought Theo was the type to cower to the blackmail of a Malfoy.

"Emery, did you want me to see if anyone else in my house would join your team?" Luna asked softly, as her soft blue eyes focused on him.

"Actually, I wanted to see about Michael Corner, Padma Patil or Cho Chang. They all have really high marks." Emery answered, deciding not to waste any more of his thoughts on the confusing Slytherin. "Truthfully, I only want you and two others from Ravenclaw, no more and no less."

"I believe Cho and Padma have already joined Harry Potter's debate team, or at least they have promised to join his team once he gets around to filling it." Luna informed him. "I would suggest Lisa Turpin, she is very clever and well educated."

Emery tilted his head and then nodded. Luna was amazingly perceptive and he knew he was very lucky to have gotten her on his team, especially since he knew she was somewhat close to Harry and his friends. She seemed to hang around Ginny Weasely and Neville Longbottom a lot. Now he was quite curious and he had to know.

"Why are you not promising to join Harry Potter's team?" His blue and brown eyes focused on her, completely ignoring the fact that Hagrid had just walked out of his hut and was headed their way with a large wooden box.

"A couple of reasons." And for the first time since Emery had met the girl, he heard a note of sadness in her gentle voice. "Harry would never think to consider me for the task, he just thinks I am strange and most of his friends think I am..." She shrugged and then blinked. "Did you know that having two different colored eyes is seen as good luck in a lot cultures?"

"I didn't know that." Emery smiled, letting her change the subject. "My Grandparents said it made me a freak and was further proof of the evil coursing through my veins." He quickly shook his head. "As cliched as it sounds, I think people fear what they don't understand."

"Old yes, but still true." Luna smiled. "I will talk to Lisa and Michael tonight during the evening meal."

"Thank you Luna."

"Now class," Hagrid's gruff voice announced. He gently set down the wooden crate at his feet."Today we are going to study the Amphisbaena, can anyone here tell me what it is?"

Theo raised his hand and was called upon. "It's a snake that has a head where the end of the tail should be. They are extremely rare and no one knows how the creatures mate to create more as their sex can't even be clearly defined, this leads many wizards to believe that they are asexual."

"Very good, Mr. Nott." Hagrid smiled. "Can anyone tell me of their significance in the wizarding communities?"

Emery glared hatefully at the wooden crate beside Hagrid as Justin Finch-Fletchly was the one to answer the professor's next question. He knew damned well there was an Amphisbaena in the box and having spent plenty of time near them in his old school he really didn't want to meet this one. He tugged sub-consciously at the wrist of his left sleeve.

"In most wizarding communities, the Amphisbaena has a real positive role, though there are a few communities who see the two headed snake almost like a two faced person and the snake has been made a symbol of a traitor to the magic world."

"Very good," Hagrid beamed as he lifted the lid off the large crate beside him. "The venom to one of these beauties is extremely valuable as it can be the base of a lot of healing potoins and it is because of poachers that they are now a rare find. This here is Delilah. Isn't she one of the most spectacular things you have ever seen?"

Emery frowned as he took a step backward; the snake immediately began slithering it's way toward him. The back head seemed to be asleep as the front head's tongue slipped in and out, taking in all the scents it could. It was as thick as a baseball bat with a a hide of azure, teal, and plum colored scales, as if it was some kind of peacock. There were even patterns of black 'eyes' along its back, running down the spine.

"The venom of the Amphisbaena is harmless to most people in it's natural form. The venom is excruciatingly painful for the first fifteen minutes but then it can make you a little sleepy and numb. The effects usually wear off within a few hours. However, many dark wizards and witches were able to turn the venom into a deadly potion which would put the intended victim into a coma that could last for years if it didn't kill them outright. Otherwise you can find the venom at the base of many pain relieving potions as well the base for some truth serums. Yes, the venom from this beautiful creature can be useful to the right Potion Master."

Theo's eyes followed the snake's movement and watched as it moved intently toward Emery who had taken a second step back, beads of sweat starting to form on the sixth year's forehead. He found the sight a little disconcerting. The boy hadn't been afraid of upsetting teachers, students, possible Death Eaters or their children, he hadn't been afraid of fighting both physically and magically and yet as this odd and maybe a little creepy looking snake made it's approach, the teenager continued to step back.

Emery found his back to a tree as the snake suddenly jutted forward and began to wind it's way up his leg, the rest of his classmates gasping and looking to their Professor for some kind of guidance or assurances that the boy wasn't in any real danger from Delilah.

""Don't worry there, Emery, Delilah will not harm you right now. You see class, Amphisbaena snakes are also known for one other trait which is why they are seen as usually positive creatures in the magical world. The snakes are drawn to magic, the more powerful or intense the magic user, the closer the snake wishes to be. It was how most wizards and witches used to find apprentices in ancient times." Hagrid looked to the blushing teenager as the snake continued to wind it's way up his body. "Emery here, must be a very powerful young wizard for Delilah to be so interested in him."

The heavy snake continued to bring it's scaly body up his own until it finally draped itself loosely about his shoulders and neck. Both heads then seemed to wake as they each tongued at his cheeks and seemed to nuzzle into him. He brought a shaking hand up to pet each head but his eyes looking to Hagrid, silently willing the giant oaf to get the snake off him before something happened that he couldn't take back.

"Alright now, Emery the hardest part is going to be removing the snake from you. This is when most Amphisbaena's bite. When they bite a living witch or wizard it's like their own way of marking them so that other Amphisbaena's know that the individual has been claimed. If they sense another's bite they will bite multiple times, leaving the Wizard or Witch in a great deal of pain for upwards of an hour." This was the problem that Emery knew a lot of students and teachers had with Hagrid. He didn't think his lessons completely through. He had allowed that snake to climb onto him and not done anything to dissuade it, forgetting about the claiming these particular snakes insisted on. "Now, Emery, if you hold still I will try to get the snake to get off of you before she decides to claim you."

Emery took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. Hagrid wasn't nervous about dealing with the snake, but it was evident that he was nervous about what might go wrong and the boy found himself feeling a little bad for the groundskeeper turned professor. Still, it wasn't his ass about to be bit four or five times.

"Right then, here we go, Emery." Hagrid said as he held out a gloved hand to one of Delilah's heads.

Before anyone could blink both heads suddenly turned on Emery and bit him three times each. A low hissing sound escaped his lips as he began to sweat profusely, his pale skin becoming more blanched as he firmly, took hold of each head and looked them in the eyes. No one moved as the young man began speaking a distinctly rare language that they had only heard once during their tenure at Hogwarts.

_"Dammit you rotten fucking snake!" _Emery's voice whispered in the dialect of the snake. _"Are __you happy now? Get off of me before they decide to cut you up and send you to some witch for stewing and brewing! In the crate, NOW! And don't leave until Hagrid allows you!"_

Even Hagrid froze as they heard the American teenager make harsh demands in that vile language. Delilah made her way to the ground and then each head took hold of the others neck and righted itself up into a wheel before rolling over to the crate rather quickly. The heads released themselves and the beautifully strange snake coiled itself up inside of the box filled with straw.

"What, what did you say?" Justin Finch-Fletchly's own pale face had turned to Emery.

Emery gritted his teeth as he his whole body trembled in pain. "I...told it to get...back in the crate and stay there..." Luna stepped forward to keep him steady but the tall boy swayed unpredictably before falling backward into the surprised arms of Hagrid. "Nice...catch."

"I'll get you to Madam Pomfrey. Class dismissed." Hagrid frowned as he raced the boy to the medical wing.

_"Don't worry, Hagrid,...I been through this a few times. My old Potions Master owned one back in America...Couldn't keep the fucking thing away from me..." _The boy was in so much pain he didn't even realize that he wasn't speaking English as he tried to ease the gentle giant's conscience.

* * *

Hermoine glared at Harry and Ron as they continued to play Wizard's Chess. She had told them that she had something very important to discuss with them and they had yet to give her their attention. It took a great amount of restraint to keep from knocking the board over and yelling at the top of her lungs. So she took a deep breath and tried once again to get their attention in a calm way.

"Harry, I still need to talk to you about that bit of research I did." Hermoine tried as Ginny came over and took a seat beside her on the large overstuffed couch.

With a frustrated groan Harry finally looked up. "What is it, Hermoine?" He asked not even bothering to hide is his annoyance.

"It's about Emery Graves." Hermoine started.

"Oh are you talking about what happened in Hagrid's class?" Ginny asked with worried excitement. "I can't believe he's a parselmouth! Everyone has been talking about it like mad!"

Hermoine was grateful for Ginny's outburst as both boys immediately looked up, Harry looking livid as he came forward and then plopped down on the couch, forcing his way between the two girls. "He's a what? What happened in Hagrid's class?"

"That's what I have been trying to tell you Harry." Hermoine frowned. "I...I just wanted you guys to see this." She pulled out an old article that showed pictures of Tom Riddle at about the age of sixteen. "While I know his bone structure isn't an exact match, it's their eyes Harry. Look."

The four Gryffindor's looked over the pictures of the smooth skinned teenager whose eyes were shining with a hunger that they had seen a few times in Emery Graves. The dark hair and dark eyes definitely seemed to be the right shading. Ginny retold everything she had heard from Justin about the snake mishap and about Emery speaking to snakes.

"What could this mean?" Ronald asked, looking stressed but unsure as to why he felt so nervous suddenly. He didn't want to believe a fellow student could be dangerous. They had taken on grown adults, but for some reason whatever his sister and best friend were trying to tell him and Harry, he felt it would be more dangerous than anything they had faced so far.

"I think..." Hermoine blushed as she bit at her lip. "I think Emery might be the illegitimate son of Voldemort."

"That's not possible." Ginny gasped.

"Yeah, I mean, the bloke is a bit of a freak, but to say he's his son?" Ronald shook his head not wanting to believe this.

"No, she's right, Ron. Think about it." Harry growled. "He is arrogant, he is far more powerful than witches and wizards his age should be, he knows things he shouldn't and even though everyone else likes him, he seems to have absolutely no friends. He is obsessed with the Dark Arts and he has absolutely no fear of Malfoy, Snape or the other children of the Death Eaters, like he knows they can't harm him." Harry's eyes widened as if they should have seen it all along. "How could we have been so stupid? Have you noticed that he never, ever wears short sleeves. Ever. He is always wearing long sleeves no matter how hot it is or during the weekends. I bet he's hiding his dark mark."

"I don't know you guys, this seems like a bit of a stretch." Ginny shook her head and was pleased to see that even Ron looked doubtful. "He doesn't feel inherently evil and he seemed very sincere when you two were arguing in the great hall about houses."

"Of course he would Ginny! Don't you see what he is doing? He is trying to make Slytherin seem like they aren't all the evil bastards we KNOW they are!" Harry explained anxiously. "My God, what if he is a spy? I bet that's what it is! He is spying on us, trying to infiltrate the school and learn as much about all of us as he can."

"Why not just Malfoy, mate?" Ron asked, still not sure this was the correct conclusion. "Normally, I'm all for hating Slytherin and thinking the worst of them, but Emery hasn't been cruel or mean to a single student. He doesn't show any of the hostilities to 'lesser' wizards and witches."

Harry glared impatiently. "Ron, why is this so hard for you to see? It's all an act, an act to make us think he is something he isn't. He never talks about his family, he mysteriously shows up during our sixth year from America. Besides, in what universe would Snape EVER let a student talk to him like Emery did last week?"

Exchanging worried looks, the Weasely siblings silently decided that they should not continue to argue with their friends. Hermoine looked reflective but Harry was obviously agitated by these new theories. He was still reeling from the death of Sirius and no one wanted to upset Harry or make him feel helpless, so if allowing him to think the worst of a new student would make him feel like they were back on track toward stopping Lord Voldemort, than so be it.

"Still, we have to be sure." Hermoine said reasonably. "I know his debate team hasn't been put together yet and I think I could manage to get onto it."

Harry beamed from ear to ear. "Great idea, Hermoine! We'll spy on the spy!"


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't normally do author's notes, mostly because if you think I own this stuff you are silly. I feel no need to have the disclaimer on a site called fanfiction. However, I have gotten a couple of PM's and an anonymous review begging for this not to be the typical story that they have read. I am not going to give anything away, but this story has a specific plan that I am following through and I just hope you all like it no matter what, but this story in my opinion is anything but typical. I love the feedback, even when it's begging me not to write what they think I may or may not be writing ;)-NO HINTS muahahahahahahahahaha! I also wanted to let you guys know that a good majority of the story is already written out in my notebooks, so if you see errors from me just typing away, please let me know. I don't have a beta yet, so yeah. Also, thank you to Bardic Jester for my first real constructive critique. It was very helpful in figuring out why Emery wasn't completely filling out the way I wanted him to. Please continue to enjoy and again, RATED M for future chapters and Emery's potty mouth. **

"You know it's not that uncommon in America." Emery growled as he sat on a bed surrounded by Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore in the infirmary. His long sleeved white shirt was unbuttoned, revealing the youthful athletic body beneath as well as the six bite marks up his neck. Hagrid was standing at the door as if guarding or looking out for someone. Emery could easily guess who. "Why should I have had to tell you about it? About talking to snakes, what's the big deal?"

"A little bit of warning could have prevented you from being put in that position to begin with." Minerva answered for the teenager. "There has been a lot of fear about your house as it is, but adding to the fact that you speak a language that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named does, well it is going to upset some students."

"You are of course referring to Potter and his delinquent friends." Snape hissed as his black eyes narrowed on the Deputy Headmaster, black clad arms crossed over his chest. "I can't imagine anyone else would really be upset to learn something like this of our new student."

Emery rolled his eyes as his lips curled into a sneer, several strands of his wavy black hair falling over his brown eye, leaving only his pale blue eye visible. "If Harry Potter can speak the damned language, what the Hell does that make him?"

"An unfortunate victim of power transference." Minerva defended angrily. There was something about this boy that was upsetting her in a way she was unaccustomed to from a student. The boy reminded her of someone but she couldn't place her finger on who.

"Unfortunate victim? You know if we were back in America this would be considered a gift. A blessing. It's one of the few things that my teachers actually praised me for back in the states. You think parselmouth is a big deal? We call it animal affinity back home. I know girls who can speak to cats, guys who talk to fish, not that it's useful in anyway unless you happen to surfing with some sharks. Shit, there's even kids who speak to spiders and scorpions!"

"Mr. Graves!" Professor McGonagall snapped with exasperation, she blushed however when both Snape and Dumbledore looked to her as if she had just slapped the boy. She took a deep calming breath and then continued. "I am not trying to say that you are a dark wizard or that you have done anything wrong, but there are precautions that we need to take in order to keep you safe. So if you have anymore abilities or talents that we don't know about, it would be best to come forward with them now."

Emery glared angrily at the stone floor beneath his dangling feet. He was sick of being interrogated and he knew that this had all just begun, he had probably lost the trust of the majority of his sixth year classmates. Damn that stupid snake. He never should have risked taking the Care for Magical Creatures class. This was all his fault, he should have bolted the moment he knew what was in that damned crate. With an annoyed sigh he shook his head. "No there's nothing else about me that you all need to know."

Professor Snape looked to Dumbledore clearly believing his student was lying, but the old man shook his white haired head and smiled. "So the snake bit you six times; when was the first time you encountered an Amphisbaena?" He asked if this was no longer an interrogation but rather a casual conversation between two friends.

"During my third year." Emery shrugged. "It belonged to a Potions Master at the school, his name was Onyx. That damned snake found me every year and made sure to bite me"

"I hardly think we are needed here any further, Headmaster. The boy is clearly fine, having gotten through the worst of the pain." Professor Snape started, impatient to leave. "Mr. Graves will no doubt need the remainder of the day to sleep off the residual effects of the venom."

* * *

Neville Longbottom arrived at the infirmary with Luna Lovegood and Hermoine Granger in tow. He hadn't really wanted the girls to come with, but both were incredibly stubborn in their own way. Luna simply followed without feeling the need to argue, where as Hermoine listed off several reasons why he should include her in this private little interview. Still they didn't have a lot of time. Madam Pomfrey, along with the rest of the school were almost finished with the evening meal and they all knew that Emery was supposed to be resting, not being bothered by students.

When the three came in Emery was sleeping soundly. Hermoine looked him over carefully; she had already figured he would be asleep which was the real reason she had insisted on coming. Her honey brown eyes looked over his face and she blushed as she realized his features were very pleasing, especially while his face was relaxed in this state. His shirt was still open at the chest and she refused to improper and oogle him, though such refinements didn't seem to be effecting Luna as she stared openly at him. Hermoine finally looked to his left arm, seeing that both of the sleeves were pulled down to his wrists.

Taking a deep breath Hermoine reached over and gently took hold of the cuff of his left sleeve. Just as she began to pull, she felt the painfully vice like grip of Emery's hand pin hers to the bed. She looked up to see both of those strange colored eyes glaring hatefully at her, his lips downcast into a tight frown. The movement drew gasps from all three of his guests.

"Emery." Luna said his name, recovering first. "I think you are hurting Hermoine."

His eyes immediately moved to Luna as he seemed to contemplate her words. Before long however, he released his grip on Hermoine but he refused to face her. "What the Hell are you three doing here?"

"We...Well...we...Uh..." Neville began to stammer.

With an annoyed roll of his eyes that was oddly familiar to Hermoine, Emery looked over to Luna. "Come on, Luna, why are you guys really here?"

"They wanted to ask you about the fact that you speak to snakes." Luna answered simply, honestly and gently.

Emery's eyes now focused on Neville and that hard angry glare seemed to dissipate. "Do you not want to be on my team any longer, Neville?" There was a tone in Emery's voice that was clearly hurt and yet resigned at the thought.

"W-well, I just...I mean...there are rumors that you are a Death Eater." Neville finally choked out the words.

"Considering our past history, you can't really blame us for being so paranoid." Hermoine spoke up as she placed a hand on Neville's shoulder.

"What's your history?" Emery asked blankly. "See I am the new guy, the guy who hasn't been learning about you for the past five or six years. I have been living my own life, creating my own sordid past that no one else knows about. That's the thing about strangers, we don't know anything about each other because we've never previously met." His voice dripped with disdain as he looked to Neville with disappointment.

Luna tilted her head and then smiled. "So are you a Death Eater, Emery Graves?"

"No." Emery answered simply.

"That's good enough for me then. I am sorry if your feelings were hurt by our asking. I will see you at practice tomorrow?" Luna asked.

An easy smile graced Emery's face as he nodded. "Yeah, Luna, tomorrow after the evening meal."

She came forward and handed him a small blue book. "I thought you could use this if you woke up and got bored during the night." She didn't wait for him to say anything more before she skipped off to the great hall.

Emery ignored his other two visitors as he looked at the small leather book. It was titled Strange Superstitions for European Witches and Wizards. He smiled as he ran his fingers over the cover of the book. He couldn't remember the last time he had received a gift from someone his own age. It was a kind thought and it made him like Luna all the more. Finally, he set the book down and leveled his gaze on Neville.

"I am sorry if I offended you, Emery. It's just that...Well, I..."

"Whatever, it doesn't really matter." Emery shrugged. He hadn't really expected Neville of all people to turn on him. "You know I haven't hurt anyone in this stupid school, nor would I."

"Well... you did get into a fight with those Slytherin boys." Neville shrugged.

"Ok fine; I have hurt anyone decent in this stupid school." Emery rephrased as he rolled his eyes.

"But...well...speaking to snakes it's just, not...normal." Neville answered.

"Neville, I don't know how to make you or your daft little friends realize that speaking to animals doesn't make you a dark wizard, but I will get over it if you don't really want to be on my team anymore." Emery frowned as he looked up to Neville, the strange eyed boy appearing far worse for wear. "Just think about it, please?"

The awkward Neville looked at his feet and nodded. He wasn't sure what to think of Emery anymore. He felt like he owed it to his parents to stay away from him, but then Luna had asked point blank about him being a Death Eater and the answer was immediate, sincere sounding and simple. 'No.' Just like that Luna had trusted him implicitly and then skipped off happily. Neville walked to the doorway of the infirmary before he looked back at the boy in the bed.

"I hope you feel better, Emery." Neville said softly.

"Thank for visiting me, Neville." Emery replied as the boy quickly left. "So what the Hell do you want, Granger?"

"I hardly see why you need to speak to me like that." Hermoine frowned. "You-"

"You keep staring at me like I am some kind of monster." Emery growled, his eyes narrowed on the young woman. "I don't even know why I care what someone like you thinks of me."

"Is that a shot at my blood-status?" Hermoine demanded as tears filled her eyes.

Emery faced her, his eyes widened in surprise and then focused furiously on her. "You stupid, stupid girl!" He shouted. "You are as paranoid and delusional as your idiot friends! So this is your opinion of me? You really do think I am one of them don't you?"

"Well if the shoe fits!" Hermoine cried softly.

Wild with rage, Emery stood from the bed, nearly a foot taller than Hermoine as he started toward her, not caring how afraid she looked as she stepped back until she bumped into the bed behind her. "Why because I speak to snakes? Is that it? My family has been speaking to snakes since as far back as they have been recorded. My mother was a parseltongue just like her father before her, and his father before him and his father before him. Ironically though, my mother wasn't a Slytherin at all! She was a Hufflepuff, just like I told you guys when I first met you."

"Yet she wasn't known to be a parseltongue?" Hermoine sniffled as she started to calm down, though calm was a relative term. Really she was starting to get angry with his attempt to intimidate her and his angry yelling. He couldn't see it, but her hand was tight around her wand, ready to defend herself should he try anything.

"You know what, this is none of your damned business!" He shouted as he put his hands through his thick black hair and stepped back. "She was Hufflepuff by choice, alright? She didn't want anyone to know she could talk to snakes, probably because of the reactions I have gotten since that fucking snake bit me!"

"Why then did you choose Slytherin?" Hermoine frowned. "I mean, why didn't you do the same as your mother?"

"Because I am not a coward like her." Emery snarled, suddenly angry again. "I don't runaway from ANYTHING!" He shook his head. "For the last time, I am NOT a Death Eater!"

"I am sorry I accused you of being a Death Eater." Hermoine frowned, but her eyes looked toward the teenager's left hand. "It's just that, my friends and I have to be particularly careful. You said you have read the papers so you must know that Harry's life is constantly in danger."

Emery rolled his eyes. "There are a lot of people whose lives are constantly in danger right now." He blinked a few times, feeling exhausted. "Look Hermoine, I get that Potter's your friend, but he is wrong about so many things. Just don't give into that bull shit paranoia of his."

Hermoine watched as the boy sat back down on the bed and got himself settled. She knew from watching him that he could be a good actor, and truthfully his behavior tonight was either the most sincere she had seen him, or the phoniest. She wasn't ready to let her theory go either, she wasn't ready to just blindly trust him.

"Emery? I know you and I have gotten off on the wrong foot,"

"Actually, we were off on a great foot. You just let yourself become paranoid for some stupid reason." He hissed angrily as he stared up at the ceiling, holding tight to Luna's gifted book.

"Well, I suppose that's true." Hermoine frowned completely disagreeing with his perception of events. "But I wanted to know if I could join your debate team?"

At first she thought he was going to start shouting again, but instead he looked to her strangely, his blue and brown eyes focused on her as if he was searching for something. The word vulnerable crossed her mind as she saw how deeply hurt he was by this whole confrontation.

"Why do you want to be on my team? You don't trust me." He asked bitterly.

"I never said that." Hermoine frowned. "You hurt my feelings. You said someone like me and I assumed that you were referring to my being muggle born."

Emery frowned as he shook his head, still staring up at the ceiling. "I meant...It doesn't matter what I meant, but I could care less if you are muggle born or not; that wasn't what I was talking about."

"So what were you talking about?" She asked curiously.

_That girls like you don't fall for freaks like me. _He thought to himself. "Nothing, just drop it ok. I am getting tired again. You should go before Pomfrey gets all pissed off and kicks you out anyway."

"You have yet to tell me if I can join your team." Hermoine pointed out as she gnawed at her bottom lip somewhat nervously.

"Shouldn't you be joining Potter's team?" He asked with a yawn, but the suspicion was evident in his tone.

Hermoine debated on how to react, but she knew time was running out quickly. Not only was Emery about to pass out again, but Madam Pomfrey was going to return shortly and send her away. She continued to worry at her lip while she weighed the pros and cons of either response as quickly as possible. Finally, after a moment she knew what to do.

"If you don't want me on your team, that's fine." She shrugged and turned to leave. It was a risky move, but Emery was smart and very competitive, there was no way he was going to let her join Harry's team if he was able to make the choice. She reached the door just as she heard her name called. "Yes?"

"You can join the team." Emery answered softly.

* * *

The next night...

Theo sat quietly at the dinner table while listening to Pansy try desperately to get Malfoy's attention. The two had been an item during fourth year, but after summer break and the beginning of fifth year it was clear that Malfoy was no longer interested in the sharp tongued girl. Theo had his own theories on why but at this time he wasn't about to tell a soul. He and Malfoy had been friends and rivals for most of their lives and he wasn't about to break him like that. Still, he had a mission of his own and time was running out.

"So Draco, you think you'll join Emery's debate team?" He asked as he grabbed a basket full of bread from the middle of the table.

"Why would I waste my time on that?" Malfoy demanded with an ugly sneer.

"Because your opponent would be Harry Potter, because Emery will have the winning team and because you'll be able to watch Emery closer without drawing suspicion from him." Theo grinned.

"How do you know who is going to be on his team?" Draco asked skeptically. "Thought you two weren't friendly anymore."

"I still share a room with him, Draco." Theo reminded him. "I saw him writing out a list of names and if you look at the Ravenclaw table, he is sitting with his newly acquired teammates. Lisa Turpin, Luna Lovegood, Michael Corner, Hermoine Granger and Neville Longbottom. All he needs on his list now are Justin Finch-Fletchly, Susan Bones and two Slytherins."

Draco's upper lip curled as his face contorted in disgust. "I will not be on a team with two mud-bloods; but especially if one of them is Hermoine Granger." He spat viciously.

"Suit yourself. I just thought you'd want a chance to tell your father that you finally beat Harry Potter at something." Theo shrugged as he took a bite of his bread. He kept the smile to himself as he covertly watched Draco eye Emery and the students surrounding him.

"Theo, are you planning on joining the debate team?" Malfoy asked, trying to seem casual and uninterested. His baby blue eyes however, remained on Emery.

With sincere annoyance Theo shook his head. "Dumbledore has ordered me to join Potter's team. He wants to make sure Potter has a member of every house on his team and doesn't believe he will ask any of us nor that any of us are willing to join on our own."

"What do you get out of it?" Draco asked. Dumbledore couldn't be a dumb enough to expect something for nothing from a Slytherin student.

With a smile, Theo answered. "Actually, that's where it's not so bad. In exchange for my cooperation in enemy territory I get access into the restricted section of the library once a week for three hours."

Shaking his head Draco stared at his friend as if he were an alien. "What is with you and those books?" He shuddered. "You had a boon from Dumbledore and you wasted it on library privileges?"

"Exactly what should I have asked for?" Theo asked. "It's not like there's much I want that I can't get on my own."

"A later curfew for one, maybe some extra visits to Hogsmead, a free period next semester! I don't know, anything but more time reading!" Draco rolled his eyes. "You are so much like Hermoine it makes me ill."

"Shut up, Malfoy." Theo rolled his eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

**I want to warn everyone now that as far as characters where JK didn't really write out completely personalities, gifts abilities or traits, I am going to run with it and do my own thing. So please, if I get a character wrong by yours or JK's standards then remember...It's just an alternate universe and it's just a fan fiction. Most of the time I do my best to stay in character, but part of the point of this particular fan fiction is to put my own spin on it. Good catch EllieMay Duncan ;), I am pleased that you caught that. It was definitely an intentional _slip._ Hope you guys are enjoying this. I know that I haven't been on a lot lately so I am trying to make up for that while I have a few days off work and get as much posted as possible. I know I said I didn't like a/n but I guess they aren't so bad. :) Now to clear up a big question, there will be no slash between Hermoine and Snape. Honestly when I was picking characters for my summary thing I picked my favorite characters of the series first, it allows you to pick four but it only shows two :(. I am sorry if this is causing confusion. I will change the romance end of it to mystery for now. All the hook ups are surprises but there will be intimacy in future chapters. I have like three notebooks full of stuff and I expand while setting them to computer pages so this story has a long life expectancy. Well it does if people keep reading and enjoying.**

_"I am no a coward!" _The boy's words echoed in his mind as he sat staring down at the Emery Grave's scroll for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Even after two weeks had passed, the boy's feral growl from his detention had caught him off guard. So desperate was his student to prove he wasn't afraid of anything that he had picked a fight, four on one, within the first week of school.

Snape had made it clear that he would never tolerate the boy calling him on in class or criticizing his teaching methods again. The threat of expulsion had chased off the rebellious attitude nearly instantly. It pleased Severus to see that continuing his education held some sway over Mr. Graves.

_"The Headmaster didn't promise you a free pass to do as you wish at this school; only the _opportunity_ to finish your education here." _ He clearly remembered the boy rolling his eyes at that, but Snape knew the boy had taken his words to heart and understood the gravity of his warning. While he hadn't exactly spelled it out that he knew Dumbledore was protecting him, he knew Emery was smart enough to realize that Snape would not hesitate to expel him and thereby leave him to the wolves.

His quill scratched at the scroll as he left his final comments near the bottom. Unlike most of his students, Emery's scroll work was almost amusing to read. There was a sarcastic humor that he doubted most of the professors would catch on to, and Snape was pleased to see that the boy wasn't completely devoid of Slytherin traits. Still, he had no idea what he was going to do about Graves. He had no friends within their house and he was making more enemies amongst his peers by the day. How on Earth was he supposed to protect him?

A knock at the door roused him from his work. He glared angrily at the door before calling for the intruder to come in. To his surprise Draco Malfoy entered the classroom. The boy looked quite disturbed and Snape immediately saw that his godson had not been sleeping well over the past few days. He looked too much like his father and assumed that said father was still sending the young man tiresome and demanding letters. Lucius has always expected too much of Draco.

"What is it, Draco?" Snape asked as he went back to the top of Emery's report and scribbled a large "A" for acceptable beside the title.

"I need some advice," Draco started. "some...Fatherly advice."

Placing his quill into the ink bottle, Severus offered his full attention to his godson. The boy rarely asked for this kind of service from him and he knew it must be something important if he was willing to communicate. Most of the time, Draco would just stubbornly and blindly make his own way. More often than not it had resulted in the boy's failure. Hopefully this was a sign that Draco Malfoy was finally growing up.

"I am thinking about joining Emery's debate team. I hear he needs at least two more Slytherin students." Draco began and then abruptly fell silent.

Severus knew there was more to the boy's simple statement, but he decided to coax it out of him. He didn't have much patience this evening and he wasn't willing to wait the teenager out. "I think debate would be a fine sport for you, Draco. When you make the attempt, you can be quite convincing and charismatic."

"But that's not what I am concerned about." Draco sighed with frustration. "That filthy little mud-blood, Granger is going to be on the team and I heard that Emery is trying to get Justin Finch-Fletchly on the team as well. How can I possibly be on a team with two mud-bloods? Father would kill me if he found out."

Severus Snape was used to hearing that hateful slur from every member of the Death Eaters and their children. Having been the Head of House for Slytherin, it was something he heard at least once or twice a day. He never visibly reacted to it, but inwardly he still cringed at the one thing that had permanently pushed Lily Evans out of his life forever. He focused on Draco, ignoring the cruel name, and reflected on the boy's predicament.

"Really, Draco, I believe your father has more to worry about than your school activities. He is quite distracted at the moment." Snape began. "If your real concern is your peers and what they and their parents will think then perhaps I can create some cover story for you. A punishment sent down by myself and Dumbledore."

"But, Severus..." It was clear that there was much more on the boy's mind then he was capable of saying and while Severus was actually very sensitive to his privacy, he wasn't willing to wait to find out what danger he might be putting himself in. He needed to know what was going through his head, if he was caught up in something more than he or Lucius knew about, or if it was just typical teenage drama.

With the skill that he had gained after years of practice, Snape was in the boy's mind and skimming the surface of his thoughts and emotions. What he found, stunned him. The boy was depressed and frightened with thoughts of running away. He feared Voldemort more than he feared anything, this wasn't what shocked him. It was his fear of joining Emery's team combined with a need to; and why? Because Draco Malfoy wanted to escape the Death Eaters, he wanted to join the other side! When? How had this come about? And what were these images of Hermoine Granger doing here?

He barely caught the trail end of Draco's words as he pulled away from his mind. "...will kill me! You know they'll find out, too. Crabbe and Goyle wouldn't hesitate to tell their fathers and with my father being...you know those ignorant fools will tell...The Dark Lord and then what will become of me?" Draco demanded, his voice edgy and paranoid.

"That is enough whining, Draco." Severus spoke sternly. "You are a Slytherin and it's time you act like one. Slytherin's do not bow down to any man, creature or spirit. We are masters of our domain and if we chose to take any side for any cause; whether it be as simple as joining a school team or as complex and dangerous as being a part of some great political movement, we give our all in the most efficient and in safest way possible.

"You must remember that there are many ways to get what you want, you just haven't stopped and thought about it. If you want to join this debate team then you had better be clever enough to come up with a reasonable excuse as to why. You are too clever to be this foolish." Snape lectured. "While Crabbe and Goyle may have some sway with their parents, their children are not exactly known for their intelligence."

Draco actually laughed at that before nodding. "I am better than them in every way." The teenager boasted. "Thank you for the talk, Severus."

"You are welcome, Draco."

* * *

Draco sat in the Slytherin common room on one of the black leather recliners, waiting for Emery to come out of his dorm. Breakfast would be starting soon and that was one meal he had never seen Graves miss. For the first few days, Draco had seen him come down to breakfast with Theodore, but now that those two were on the outs the American seemed to have been up early enough that by the time he and his friends arrived for breakfast, Emery was just finishing up and leaving the Great Hall.

So here he sat in the darkness, only a soft glow from the lake above the dungeons helping him to see if anyone was passing through the common room. It was five thirty in the morning, far too early for any normal living being to be awake and hopefully not too late to catch Emery heading to breakfast. He was trying not to fall asleep when he finally saw a tall silhouette with long wavy hair stumble into the room.

"Fuck." Emery snarled as he bumped into something and then suddenly he straightened. "Hello?"

"Relax, Graves, it's just me." Malfoy smirked as he stood up from the seat. "I wanted to have a discussion with you." He pulled out his wand and silently cast the spell for light.

Both boys were dressed for the day, but unlike Malfoy who had been awake long enough to appear well rested, Emery's eyes were still heavy from sleep, his mouth down set with annoyance before he gave a big yawn and then plopped down on the couch. "What the Hell do you want, Drake?"

Gritting his teeth, Malfoy chose to ignore the stupid nickname that Emery had insisted on using since they first met. He knew the boy only did it to get a rise out of him. "I hear Harry Potter is the team captain for the other inter-house debate team."

"Yeah, he is." Emery nodded as he gave another violent yawn.

"Do you have all of your Slytherin teammates chosen yet?" Draco asked pointedly, when he only received a glare, he smiled and continued. "Well, I imagine with all the trouble you've caused you are having a hard time getting our housemates to join you."

"Get to the point, Drake." Emery snapped irritably.

"I want you to join your team, Graves. I want to help you defeat Potter." Draco spoke directly, but with an edge of authority that warned he would get his way at any cost. It was this edge that seemed to help Emery fully wake up as he started to come up with a plan. "I can even help you get a second Slytherin to join your team."

"You know that Hermoine is on my team, right?" Emery asked. "I mean, if things go the way I want them to, I will have two muggle borns on the debate team. I just don't know. Is that something you can even handle?"

Draco tilted his head as he looked Emery over. There was something very familiar about the way he sneered, rolled his eyes or glared and it was starting to bug him. The tall teenager's strange eyes pinned him impatiently as he waited for Draco's response and that was even more recognizable to him and yet he just couldn't place it.

"I will not fight with the mud-bloods if that is what you are looking for. I will be civil and I will be as...cordial as possible." Draco offered.

Emery's gaze darkened. "Start by erasing that word from your vocabulary. I swear to God, if I hear it form your mouth anywhere or anytime you are off the team. Also, you better realize that this is a study intensive sport, studying that will take place with ALL of our teammates. If you fail to complete any assignment you are off the team."

"Alright, alright, I can handle that." Draco shrugged.

"That's not all." Emery warned. "If you attack anyone on our team, be it verbally, magically or physically, you are also off. I don't even want to find out that you defended one of your dipshit friends if they attack any member of our team. Despite what you might think, I can find other Slyhterins to join so don't think I won't kick your ass off if you act like a spoiled little prick. Got it, Drake?"

Draco glared as his pale complexion immediately turned a bright red as he listened to the absolutely ridiculous requirements for being on the team. Did this change everything? It was one thing to join the team, but to do everything that Emery had just described? Malfoys did not associate with filthy mud-bloods, so how could he be on a team like this one? Then again, when would he ever have the chance to show Harry Potter up. This felt like something the precious little Gryffindor would actually fail at. He might not get another opportunity like this one.

"I accept your terms, Graves, but I have one demand I want met." Draco raised his chin somewhat. He was sick of the American dictating to him. "You will stop calling me Drake at once."

"Fair enough. I will stop calling you Drake, but to prove you really accept my terms you have to recruit Justin Finch-Fletchly and Susan Bones of Hufflepuff." Emery grinned.


	8. Chapter 8

**This chapter is a little longer because the last chapter was a lot shorter than normal. Hope you guys like it. Again, if certain liberties were taken with characters that you don't like, well I guess you won't like it. I want to make it clear, I don't hate Harry Potter, there is a plan for him, I am just keeping in with the flaws that were present through much of the series. He's a hothead and very arrogant, but I don't see him as a bad guy. Just got a break him down a bit before I can build him back up. Thanks for reading, hope you like it. **

"These children are not but sixteen! Some of them merely fifteen, fifteen Albus!" Minerva McGonagall shook her head. "Can you even remember half of the irresponsible and immature things you did when you were a child? I certainly can't! There is far too much pressure on Harry right now! He hasn't even had a chance to grieve for the death of his Godfather, he's trying to keep up with his classes, Slughorn's advanced potions class and club, quidditch and now you make him the team captain of an inter-house debate team and require him to work with students from Slytherin? When does he get to catch his breath?"

Albus took the shrieking Scottish woman's lecture in stride. He had always adored how protective she was of her students, like a lioness defending her cubs. In truth, if circumstances were anything but what they were now, he would wholeheartedly agree with her. Harry was going through too much and even he was not blind to the boy's struggles to cope. Minerva was absolutely correct in her belief that Harry's emotions were becoming more and more unstable, but what else could he do? Tom certainly didn't care to take it easy on him, he wasn't going to wait for Harry to catch his breath and feel better.

Minerva's eyes narrowed on him angrily when he did little more than smile and nod. "What do you intend to do to remedy this situation, Albus? Even Ronald Weasely is aware of his friend's distress! That should speak volumes in and of itself!"

"I understand you're feelings completely. The boy is going through a lot, but this is an opportunity to see if he has learned anything about the minds, strengths and weaknesses of his peers." He answered simply, but he knew by the intake of air that his deputy headmaster had just taken, that it was not an answer that would suffice. "Minerva, I need you to trust that I know what I am doing."

"A task that would be easier if I knew what it is that you are doing!" The woman huffed, though it was evident through her body language that she was beginning to calm down. "You keep too many secrets, Albus. I worry that one day those secrets are going to get you killed or worse; break the very person you are grooming for war."

With twinkling blue eyes, Albus placed a hand on the red clad witch's shoulder. "You have my word, Minerva, that I will not break Harry Potter. The boy will be just fine. He is strong like his parents."

She gave him a pointed look as she shook her head. "For all their strength, their lives were still lost." She reminded gravely.

* * *

Hermoine Granger sat in the library as she looked over three different books for her references on a report. She was a little surprised when she saw Draco Malfoy come into the library alone, but pure shock and horror filled her as she watched the boy politely request to sit at a table full of Hufflepuff students that included Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchly, Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott. They seemed just as worried as she was, but they eventually conceded. Deciding she needed to know what was going on, she subtly walked over to the shelf beside their table and pretended to search for a book.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Susan demanded.

Draco looked at her, his smile never wavering as he put a hand to his heart. "Really, Susan, I am hurt. Can't a guy look in on his Hufflepuff classmates?"

"No." Ernie glared angrily. "You are a trouble maker, you helped Umbridge torture more than half of us for nothing and you have blatantly called for the death of several of our friends because you are an arrogant bastard who hates muggle borns!"

Malfoy frowned as he felt the four sets of eyes focusing on him. This was going to be harder than he thought. Damn Graves for sending him on this futile mission. How was he ever going to get Susan and Justin to join him with Ernie reminding them of every foul act he had committed against them? He certainly wasn't going to beg; a Malfoy would never beg a mud-blood or blood traitor for anything.

With what would have been a charming smile to his own friends, Malfoy looked to Ernie. "You know, Macmillan, I am surprised to hear you throwing out such harsh words when we all know you are as prone to flawed accusations as anyone in the school. Wasn't it you who started the rumor that Harry Potter cheated to get himself in the Tri-Wizard tournament?" He yawned calmly letting that sink in before he continued. "Truthfully, I would have done it but you were too quick for me and alas the credit goes to you. You, too, accused Potter of being the heir of Slytherin as well, yes? How embarrassing it must have been for you to have claimed such a thing when it was Potter himself who defeated the wretched creature that nearly killed your little friend here."

"What's your point?" Susan demanded with an air of authority that reminded most of the students of her aunt.

"Clearly, we all make mistakes, we are all wrong at times." Draco smiled smoothly. "Even I can admit that I have been wrong in the past, that the lure of power and prestige has been too strong to deny." His eyes focused on Susan Bones, sure that if he got her to join, Justin would follow suit. "Susan, are we not all teenagers? Are we all not learning? Ernie Macmillan has attacked Potter as often as I have, the only difference between us seems to be that I wear green where as he wears yellow."

"You are attempting to use our sense of fair play against us." Hannah frowned.

"Is it working?" Draco grinned and winked at the normally shy girl who blushed immediately.

"Depends. What is that you want?" Susan asked, not falling for the blonde's charms what so ever.

"Believe it or not, I wanted to ask you, Susan and you Justin to join Emery Graves' inter-house debate team. You are the two Hufflepuff''s he singled out for recruitment and here I am, offering you the invitation to be a part of something this school has never seen before." Draco shrugged casually.

Hermoine dropped her books, catching the attention of all five students at the table beside her. She looked pale and enraged. "You are on Emery's team?"

"Joined just this morning, Granger." He smiled at her as he bent down to pick up her books. He offered them kindly. "I am looking forward to working with you."

The Hufflepuff students looked to one another, clearly uncomfortable with what was going on, especially as Hermoine stood with her jaw slack, her eyes wide in disbelief. Draco normally would have insulted her, but as they waited, he did nothing but patiently wait for her to take the offered books from him.

"I can't join Emery's team." Justin was the first to break the silence. "Emery is...is a...a parseltongue."

"What's your point Justin?" Draco's eyes turned to the mud-blood. He had to be careful when dealing with this one as he was beginning to understand why Emery didn't want to do this part himself. He had forgotten that much of Emery's favor with the student body was lost when it came out that he could speak to snakes. "While I am not a fan of Emery's I can tell you this. He isn't aligned with You-Know-Who."

"Oh, and what's makes you an authority?" Ernie growled.

"Well, if you believe half of what you all say about me, than wouldn't I know who was working for the Dark Lord?" Draco tried to make that a joke, but even to his own ears, he knew his silver tongue had failed. Instead it sounded like an admission of guilt. That was, until Hermoine laughed softly and took the books from him.

"Hermoine?" Susan frowned.

"Sorry, I just..." She blushed profusely as she hugged the offered books to her chest, trying hard to disappear. "I just understood that he was joking is all."

Hannah's face softened as she smiled, too. "Emery has always been exceptionally nice to me. I also know that Dumbledore is the one who proposed the teams, so you both know it's a legitimate team."

Draco looked to Hannah and flashed her a kind smile. Why not? She was helping with his cause and he could see that Susan had already made up her mind. "Well, what is it going to be Susan? With Hermoine and Justin being invited, you have to know that Emery isn't out to harm anyone, just to win."

Again, Hermoine's eyes widened. Twice now the most hateful Slytherin in the entire school had implied a compliment toward her, his most hated adversary. She had often gotten the feeling that Draco hated her more than he did Harry. So to hear him not only say he was looking forward to working with her but to imply that she was good enough to make the team a winning team? It was a little disconcerting and it made her very nervous.

"He has a point Justin." Susan agreed. "You are known to have a photographic memory and we all know Hermoine's standing in the school. I believe that Emery is trying to put together a winning debate team."

Justin shook his head and spoke with timid disgust. "Then why have Malfoy?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Susan asked with a bit of a blush. "He just talked me into joining when I was dead set against it from the moment of his arrival."

"You have got to be kidding me?" Ernie shouted incredulously.

"No, I am not. I will join Emery's team." Susan clarified. "I was hoping Harry would ask me, but I have already heard that most of his team are his own Gryffindor friends with the exception of Hermoine."

"Why are you on Emery's team?" Justin's nervous brown eyes looked up at Hermoine expectantly. "Why aren't you on Harry's team?"

Even Draco couldn't help but look up to the girl as they all waited for her answer. "Well for one, Emery also asked me first." Hermoine reasoned lamely. She could tell the five students looking at her weren't buying it. "Alright fine, because I believe in what Dumbledore is trying to do with this sport. He wants us to create bonds with students outside of our own house, to become a united school. Even the sorting hat warned that we would all fall to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named if we didn't find a way to unite. Unity will not be found on Harry's team."

While Hermoine knew the truth was that she was spying on Emery; it actually pained her to put Harry down. To say that unity couldn't be found on his team? It was unfair and cruel to say that in front of Ernie who never seemed to trust Potter and Malfoy who hated him. Still, she had stumbled on a truth she hadn't wanted to see until it slipped right out of her mouth. Harry was not capable-no, not willing to unify the houses, and that realization hurt as much as slamming him had.

Justin looked to Hermoine and then to Susan and finally to Malfoy. "If you or Emery try anything, anything at all, I am out." He sighed nervously.

"This is stupid!" Ernie raged loudly for the second time. "He is setting you up! He is-

"Mr. Macmillan!" Madam Pince hissed as she seemed to appear out of nowhere. "You will leave the library this instant! Out! Out! Out!"

Malfoy smiled darkly as he watched the witch chase Ernie out of the library. His blue eyes settled on Susan and Justin. "See you two at practice. I believe the next one is tonight after the evening meal before curfew. We meet in the trophy room."

With that, the Slytherin teenager left , politely bowing to them before doing so. What had at first seemed impossible was an easy challenge. He couldn't help but find it more rewarding than winning a quidditch match had ever been. Perhaps his godfather was right; debate was talking people into seeing things your way and he clearly had a talent for it.

* * *

Emery sat during the evening meal beside a small fourth year named Astoria Greengrass. She was still petite for a fourteen year old. She had freckles splayed across her nose and beneath her dark brown eyes. Long auburn hair framed her round face and fell a few inches over each shoulder. She was dressed in a black pleated skirt that hit just below her knees, a green sweater vest was placed over a white long sleeved blouse. Her uniform was immaculate with every thread in the right place. Even her black Mary Janes were polished so nicely that she could see her reflection if she tried.

"Will I get any extra credit?" She asked in a business like tone.

Emery grinned and shook his head. "I don't think so. Honestly, Dumbledore has not said if there will be a prize for the winning team or not."

"Hmm. Who all did you say was on the team so far?" She inquired before taking a bite of her broccoli.

"Myself, Luna Lovegood, Lisa Turpin, Herm-

"Let me rephrase. What boys are on the team?" She asked, her facial expression was all business but her cheeks turned slightly pink.

With a small laugh Emery shook his head. Of course, what fourteen year old girl cared about her female teammates? "Am I not enough for you to look at?" He teased.

"Don't toy with me, Graves. Just answer my question." She said a little heatedly.

"Alright fine. Justin Finch-Fletchly, Michael Corner, Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom, and as I stated before, myself." He answered.

After a few moments of eating her meal while she deliberated she finally nodded. "Very well, Graves. I will join your team, but I want my study partner to be either Michael Corner or Neville Longbottom. I assume you can make this happen?"

This was easily the funnest recruitment Emery had experienced. He chuckled while nodding his head. "Yes, Ms. Greengrass I can make sure those two are your partners for any team assignments. Is there anything else?"

The girl's brown eyes hardened as she looked at him, displeased by his laughing. "You will stop laughing at me this instant. I am not a joke, Mr. Graves."

He bit back a smile. "Ok, ok. I will not laugh or smirk at you. We have practice tonight after the evening meal. You need to be at the trophy room on time, got it?"

"Fine. You can go away now. I don't need Neville or Michael thinking that you and I are an item." She waved him off.

* * *

Harry and his team stood in front of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore and several professors who had been chosen to act as judges. All four house heads were present as well as Madams Pomfrey and Pince, as well as Professors Vector, Binns, and Burbage. It was Dumbledore, however, that kept Harry's attention as his pale blue eyes looked him and his team over with obvious disappointment. Of all the adults present, Dumbledore was the last person that he thought would be upset with him; if anything the man should be more than understanding.

He looked over his team again and found that there was nothing lacking. Why Theo Nott was sitting alone at the Slytherin table was still beyond him. He had told him his services were not required, so why had he shown up? Maybe he was a second for Emery in case one of the Professors disapproved of a student on their team?

"I see we have Ms. Cho Chang and Padma Patil of Ravenclaw, Mr. Ernie Macmillan and Ms. Hannah Abbott of Hufflepuff." Albus began as he looked over each student. "Then we have Ms. Parvati Patil and Ginny Weasely along with Misters Seamus Finnegan, Ronald Wesley and Dean Thomas all from Gryffindor. Where, Mr. Potter, is your Slytherin representative?"

"I couldn't find anyone willing to join, Sir." Harry lied as he frowned. Who wouldn't believe him? It wasn't as if Dumbledore could have known that Theo had volunteered.

"I find that rather odd, Mr. Potter, considering I assigned Mr. Nott to join your team." He looked to Theodore. "Mr. Nott, did you disobey me?"

"No, Headmaster. Harry informed me that he would not work with me and dismissed me." Theo stated after standing up respectfully. _And that's the nice version of what he said. _He thought to himself.

Harry's cheeks flushed as he looked down at the floor. He could hear the other team snickering as they waited to present themselves. He couldn't understand why Dumbledore was doing this to him. His godfather was dead thanks to the Death Eaters and here they all were playing games with the very children of those hateful murderers. Meanwhile, Voldemort was probably gathering his strength and allies for the upcoming war. Who the Hell really knew if Nott, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle weren't already made Death Eaters themselves?

"Harry, you must pick a Slytherin teammate for your debate team to be eligible." Professor Dumbledore spoke gently, not wanting to embarrass the boy further. "I suggest you ask Mr. Nott to join your team."

With a scowl that could rival Snape's, Harry looked to Theodore Nott. "Are you still interested in joining my team, Theo?" The words came through gritted teeth.

"Would love to." Theo smirked as he stood and joined the teenagers. "So who are you getting rid of in my place?"

"Perhaps once of the five Gryffindors." Professor Snape muttered under his breath.

"Actually, I will leave." Dean spoke as he stepped forward. "Never really sounded fun to begin with, Mate. Just a lot more studying."

Harry said nothing as the boy walked away from the line of ten students and sat at the Gryffindor table. "This is my team, then." Harry frowned as he finally lifted his green eyes to see the Professors looking over his team.

"Do any of you object to Mr. Potter's team or have any questions?" Albus asked his comrades.

"Tell me, Mr. Potter, how did you pick your teammates?" Minerva asked, her eyes conveying an understanding smile to her ego-bruised cub.

"Well, I chose them based on who has been most loyal and helpful to me in the past. They are all really clever, strong and they are my friends." Harry answered.

"Who do you think will be your strongest asset?" Professor Flitwick questioned next. "I see that Hermoine Granger is not on your team. She would have seemed like a shoe-in for you."

"Well, Hermoine joined Emery cause he asked first I guess." Harry answered going with the cover story he and Hermoine had come up with the day they discovered Emery might be Voldemort's son. "I suppose my greatest asset on my team would be, Cho Chang. She's a Ravenclaw and is pretty smart and has high marks."

Professor Snape rolled his eyes while Professor Flitwick seemed disappointed by the boy's answer. Harry felt like he was failing a test he hadn't studied for. He was beginning to think that it may have been a mistake to have Hermoine on Emery's team. What was he going to do without her to read between the lines? Yes, he had definitely made a mistake.

"How much time did you put into picking your team?" Severus smirked as his black beady eyes took him in like a snake eying a rat.

_ What does that matter? _Harry thought to himself. "Well, _Professor _Snape, it wasn't really that hard. I just started asking my friends and they said yes." He shrugged. "Maybe an hour or-?"

"Thank you, Harry." Albus interrupted. "Are there any objections?" When no answer was received Dumbledore gestured to an empty table. "You may take a seat while we look over your competitors. Mr. Graves please come forward with your team."

Emery led his nine teammates up to the head table. The teachers seemed plenty impressed as Draco Malfoy, Astoria Greengrass, Luna Lovegood, Lisa Turpin, Michael Corner, Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchly, Neville Longbottom and Hermoine Granger all stood before them in single file beside their team captain. Despite the different houses, all of the students looked at ease in each others presence. Even Neville appeared confident.

"Thank you Mr. Graves. Your team looks very formidable." Albus smiled pleasantly before once more looking to his fellow professors. "Questions or objections?"

Severus sneered as he saw Neville Longbottom. Even with his dislike of the female Gryffindor, he could admit there was sound logic in choosing Granger, but Longbottom being picked was beyond him. The boy was a nervous wreck and unable to perform in front of others. Every time he had been in his potions class the boy would much up everything and then the little know it all would save him from certain disaster. "If those are the best two Gryffindors you can find, then I approve."

Professor McGonagall glared openly at her co-worker before returning her gaze to Emery. "How did you pick your team, Mr. Graves."

"I believe I chose the smartest of each class with a focus on Ravenclaw like tendencies thanks to their dedication to all types of knowledge. Hufflepuff and Gryffindor have never specifically pointed out intelligence as a desired trait, which is why there are three Ravenclaw and Slytherin students each on my team. Honestly, I would have preferred a twelve man team to make the houses completely even." Emery explained confidently.

"Do you truly believe you picked the smartest of the school?" Professor Sprout asked curiously. "What was it about each of these students that led you to believe they would create a winning team?"

"Yes, I believe they are the smartest. I chose based on their skills and talents. Luna Lovegood has a wide range of obscure subjects and her grades are never lacking. Lisa Turpin and Michael Corner each are two of the highest in grade point average amongst the school and Hermoine Granger is obviously the highest marked student in the whole Sixth year, if not the entire school. Neville is superior in Herbology, ingredients to potions and their preparations. Susan Bones is the most Ravenclaw like Hufflepuff with a sharp eye for following rules and a talent at reading people. Justin has a photographic memory and is particularly good with numbers, dates, calculations and data in general. Astoria has the best overall marks in the entire Slytherin house and as for Draco Malfoy? Well, this is debate and who wouldn't want the man with the silver tongue on his side?"

Pamona Sprout smiled and looked to Severus. "Your student reads his classmates well." She complimented. "It's good to see one of the first inter-house teams so well built."

"Mr. Malfoy," Professor Flitwick spoke up with a grave tone. "How will you work with Ms. Granger and Mr. Finch-Fletchly? We all have docked point or issued detentions due to some of your more extreme opinions about muggle borns."

Harry finally got a chance to smile as all eyes fell to Malfoy. He knew that Draco would not be able to resist putting down Hermoine or Justin in some way. He was too pompous, too arrogant to ever see them as anything but second class citizens. Draco was too much like his father and he was going to say something to prove that. He just knew it.

Emery's odd eyes looked to Malfoy as he waited nervously for the boy to answer. Sure he had recruited Justin and Susan, but that didn't mean the boy had changed over night. He didn't trust Malfoy, but he was still in a position where he had no choice but to put his faith in him. If the self proclaimed Prince of Slytherin insulted either of the two muggle borns on his team it would set the tone and he would either lose Malfoy, or both Justin and Hermoine. They had both warned him of this when they joined the team and he didn't blame them.

"Well, Professor Flitwick, I am just going to treat them with the same respect that I give to my house peers and quidditch team." Draco smiled. "Besides, I for one, took the sorting hat seriously when it spoke of unity." He paused as he winked to Hermoine and then flashed a debonaire smile to the professors. "Besides, if I don't behave, Emery here will happily kick me off the team, thus robbing me of the opportunity to beat Harry Potter. A feat we all know I want more than anything,"

To Harry's surprise, Albus Dumbledore smiled the same smile he gave to Fred or George when they pulled of a magnificent prank. Minerva smirked and Professor Flitwick gave in to a chuckle. They had all been charmed by Malfoy and his blatant honesty. What really bothered him was that even Hermoine had smiled when Draco winked at her. Hermoine Granger, the girl who had punched him in the face during third year!

"Very good." Dumbledore nodded. "Your team is approved. I wish both teams the best of luck. Please be prepared to compete in two weeks time. Harry, Emery; you both will come to my office to gather the rules and subject material."


	9. Chapter 9

**Funny story, I thought I already posted this chapter and it turned out I had completely forgotten. So sorry guys! Lots of dialogue. You have been warned. Also, I wanted to get this out quick and didn't really spend a lot of time editing it. Let me know what y'all think! **

Harry Potter sat quietly in the headmaster's office. He had been there plenty of times, he had feared being expelled in the past, he had been worried about being sent back to his aunt and uncle on more occasions than he could count, but of all the times he had been seated in front of the powerful wizard, he had never felt this nervous before. Probably because he had never disappointed Dumbledore as he had thirty minutes or so ago when he lied about Theodore Nott.

It certainly didn't help that Severus Snape was in the room as well for some reason. The man had shown up as soon as Emery had left with the scrolls of subject material and rules. It was bad enough that he felt so awful and disgraced, but for that hateful old bat to see it as well...This was just not his night. He glared angrily at Severus while Dumbledore expressed his disappointment and concern for his Harry's 'worsening' attitude. Or at least that's all Harry heard.

Meanwhile, Severus heard nothing but the coddling and gentle reprimanding of a spoiled child. He couldn't understand why Albus had insisted on his presence, but hearing him try to gently explain his reasons for wanting Theodore on his team was becoming tiresome and irritating.

Both Severus Snape and Harry Potter were to blinded by their hate for them to actually hear what was being said, which was as follows:

"Harry, I must say that I am rather disappointed that you lied to me this evening. I expect more of, maybe more than I ought. Your professors tell me that your depression is worsening and you are lashing out vocally. I know these past few years have been hard on you, that the death of Sirius is unmaking all of that bold spirit you have carried with you. You mustn't give up...

"Can't you see what we are trying to accomplish with this debate idea? Not only was I trying to get you to build a team, but I wanted you to be the boy who unified this school. The students of this school need to see that we can stand together as a people who will not be enslaved. The first step to acting as one, is to pull together! How can you practice this when everything we do in this school is divided?

"For too long we have been divided and that must end. The children of Slytherin need to know that they are as much victims of Tom Riddle as you and your own friends and family. I wanted you to be the one to show them that, not some stranger who can't relate to them, who can't possibly know what it is the students of this school have faced for the past five years."

"You expect me to believe that Draco Malfoy and his little gang of Death Eater's children are victims?" Harry sneered contemptuously.

"Hard as this may be for you to comprehend Potter, not all Slytherins are willing followers of the Dark Lord." Professor Snape drawled hatefully. "Your fellow students, who are not but children themselves, are surrounded by the cruelty and hatred of their own parents. They may actually want to leave but how can they when they can't trust their friends, their teachers, even their own family? Where do you suggest that they turn when they want to leave? To you and your friends? You don't even speak to an American transfer student with absolutely no connection or ties to the Death Eaters because he is in Slytherin House."

"Right, I'm supposed to believe that Malfoy doesn't want to be a Death Eater? He's been dying to be one since the Chamber of Secrets was first opened!" Harry argued. "Look at Crabbe and Goyle! They practically froth at the mouth anytime they hear about some great escape by the Death Eaters or when someone like Umbridge comes in and bullies everyone outside of their house! Their hate is evident!"

"It's true that some of the students are as wicked as their father's and mothers and while not all of Draco's actions are excusable, Professor Snape has a point that you are missing. He is not exaggerating about the circumstances and possible abuse of children by their own parents. We believe there could be many Slytherin children who do not want to be like their parents but are too afraid to come forward. The Dark Lord is as likely to kill them for trying to leave as he is to kill anyone of his followers for failure." Albus tried to explain as sternly as he could.

Harry's rage consumed him as he stood and shook his head. "I don't care; I just don't care! It doesn't mean they are trustworthy or that they won't become the very monsters their parents are! They aren't watching their friends and family die!"

"And there we have it." Severus smirked calmly. "You don't care. How convenient that when Harry Potter doesn't care, the world bows down and forgets all the others who exist. Some great savior you are, Potter. It's fortunate indeed that all our lives, including Slytherins, are dependent upon you."

"What do you know, you cantankerous old prat? Do you have any idea what its like to know that everyone is counting on you? To have that foul bastard inside of your head? To have faced him time and time again and know that this time might be the last?" Harry shouted. "I never asked for this, I don't even want to be the savior of the wizarding world or any other world for that matter!"

"You are a spoiled, selfish and arrogant child, Potter! The spitting image of your father!" Snape hissed, his voice raising. "I taught, or rather _tried_ to teach you how to keep him out of your head, but like the stubborn, cocky boy that you are, you refused to learn anything!"

"I was able to save a man's life by seeing what he saw!" Harry returned, voice raised and face red with fury.

"Yes, Potter you did manage to save one man's life; but then you also sent another to his grave." Snape smiled sinisterly.

Harry grabbed his wand, Severus following suit, but before either could cast a spell, they were each disarmed. The old man who didn't seem so old at the moment had a tranquil look upon his face but there was flash of power in those no longer twinkling blue eyes that warned the two combatants to put away their wands.

"I have believed for a long time that the two of you needed to simply talk out your issues. I believed that by having the two of you work together during training that you might become closer. Time and time again, you both prove me wrong. This fighting between you both must stop.

"Harry, I know this is hard for you to hear; you don't want this life and no one can blame you for that. Who could blame you if you gave it all up for just one moment with your parents? Life, however, is not always kind and even though you need more time, Voldemort is not going to give it to you. You must become the man I know you are capable of becoming and you have a very limited amount of time left. A year, maybe two at the most." When the boy refused to say anything more, Dumbledore sighed. "You are dismissed, Harry. Try to get some sleep."

* * *

Harry stormed into the mostly empty Gryffindor common room, a low growl rumbling in his chest. His bright green eyes glossy with burning tears. He didn't know what angered him more, that Snape said he had killed Sirius or that he believed Snape was right about it. Guilt ridden thoughts swarmed him as he questioned everything from that night. Why hadn't he tried harder to block out Voldemort? Logically he knew Bellatrix Lestrange killed Sirius, but he also knew that he would be alive if he had just done what Snape had taught him.

"Hey, Mate. You alright?" Ron asked with concern as his friend entered the common room. "Harry?"

"Leave me alone, I don't want to talk about it." Harry grumbled as he walked toward the hall that led to boy's and girl's towers. "I just need to get some sleep."

Hermoine and Ron exchanged worried looks as Harry walked past. "Harry, are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" Hermoine asked gently. She could see the guilt eating at him as he finally looked at her. "Harry, we're your friends. You can tell us anything. There's no one here but me and Ron."

At first Harry looked like he was just going to stomp off, but he stayed put. He struggled to regain control of his emotions but after several deep breaths he spoke very quietly, as if to stay in control. "Snape pointed out that I caused Sirius' death." Immediately Ron and Hermoine denied that it was possible. "Did you or did you not warn me all year last year about blocking my mind, Hermoine? Exactly. I killed my own godfather. There is no one to blame but me."

"So then what are you going to do about it?" Ginny asked as she stepped out of the doorway Harry had been headed toward. "Harry, you are still young. We all are. We are going to make mistakes, hopefully they won't be disastrous or fatal, but no matter what, we have to learn from them. So what have you learned?"

Silence filled the room that held the four Gryffindors for several minutes. Ron and Hermoine weren't sure if Harry was going to answer at all. The one thing they both knew was that sometime during the summer, the boy had fallen in love with the youngest Weasely and she had a sway over him that not even Dumbledore could compete with. They both hoped that Ginny would be able to reach Harry where they had just failed.

"I, I need to block my mind before he sets another trap." Harry whispered softly. "Though, I doubt Snape would teach me again even if I wanted him to."

"From what you have already told me, you don't need him to teach you anything. He already taught it to you. Harry, you are a brilliant wizard. Just practice closing off your mind." Ginny replied. "Professor Snape already gave you the tools, you just need to use them now."

* * *

Theo watched with anxiety as Pansy Parkinson and her gang of girls approached Emery and Draco in the common room. All in all there were six girls, Daphne Greengrass, Pansy of course, Millicent Bulstrode, Trolley Keegan, and the Carrow twins, Flora and Hestia. While everyone else feared Crabbe and Goyle as Draco's enforcers, Theo knew that it was the girls of Slytherin who seemed to be the most vicious and merciless.

He wasn't sure why that was but he had plenty of evidence to back it up and her name was Bellatrix Lestrange. Of all the men and women that followed the Dark Lord, none were as apt to please or kill to prove their loyalty than her. Although he had met her only a handful of times, the woman's presence had actually made him fearful and the six girls surrounding Draco and Emery had the potential to be every bit as merciless as her.

"Draco, Emery." Pansy greeted, quickly asserting herself as leader of this little group. "So what's with this debate club you guys are in? Why didn't you ask more Slytherin students to join, Emery? We aren't good enough for you?"

Emery frowned as he looked over the girls cautiously behind a mask of confusion. It was one thing to take on four brawling boys, but to take on six witches? That was pure suicide. He couldn't help but wonder if this also had something to do with the fact that Draco wasn't hanging around Crabbe and Goyle as much anymore. They no doubt saw it as a weakness and that was something that a Slytherin did not tolerate.

Draco looked up with a charming smile. "Girls, girls, girls. It's really not as bad as all that. Dumbledore made the rules that there had to be a representative of each house. There are six of you that would have made perfect peers for our club." The blonde teenager stood from his seat and took both of Pansy's hands. "We didn't want to split you lovely ladies up or cause a rift between you by picking only one of you. That's why we picked Astoria, so that you knew we at least thought of you."

All of Pansy's followers looked to her, waiting to see if she would accept his answer or if they were allowed to think Draco was just trying to con them. Their leader, however, simply blushed and gave a squeeze to his hands. She bit at her bottom lip and leaned forward a bit, clearly expecting a kiss from him.

Light blue eyes found Emery's eyes, the message clear. _You owe me, big time!_ Draco's lips softly pressed against his old girlfriend's, his hands resting on her hips. All five girls blushed, cooed and giggled as the couple seemed to be cementing their reformed relationship that had ended at the end of fourth year. When Draco and Pansy pulled back, the girl smiled confidently, her head held high.

"Well, Draco, I guess if this is something you really want to do with your new American friend, I suppose I can find something else to do." Pansy offered benevolently. Her dark eyes then moved to Emery. "By the way Emery, Trolley here would really like to talk to you in private."

Emery's eyes widened as he looked up at Trolley. She was a tall girl, almost as tall as he was with thick glasses and long legs. Her body was lanky and very slight. The girl wasn't ugly by any means, but nor was she a supermodel. If anything she was one of the plainest girls he had seen at the school, though even if she had been said Supermodel, she would never be...He shook his head and stood up. "What's up?"

"I was...I was wondering if you had a girlfriend..." She blushed softly, ignoring the fact that Millicent had been glaring at her since she started talking to Emery.

"Well, no, I don't..." Emery frowned as he shook his head, his blue and brown eyes looking to Draco for help. The traitor simply smirked and went back to 'reading'.

"Then maybe we could..." She waved her hands as if to imply some sort of activity that she wasn't willing to vocalize.

With the exception of Millicent, the girls watched Emery pointedly. He could feel their oppressive gaze daring him to tell their friend no. He wondered if Pansy was just mad that Draco had taken away her reason to pick a fight. He had no doubt that the girls of Slytherin had caught him staring at a few others girls from different houses; so maybe they wanted him to reject their friend so that he would have to face their wrath.

Emery ran his hands through his thick wavy hair and shrugged. "I really don't know you that well, Trolley. I mean, maybe we could get to know each other a bit first?"

"I really would like to get to know you better." She smiled, encouraged when he didn't reject her. "Will you accompany me to Hogsmead this weekend?"

"Sure." Emery nodded. "That could be cool."

"Great!" Trolley squealed.

Pansy and Millicent each glared at Emery but then smiled to their friend as the six girls quickly walked toward the girl's dormitories. This left Emery alone with a snickering Draco.

"Don't you laugh at me, Malfoy." Emery growled as he sat back down beside him. "And don't think I didn't notice you trying to take ownership of the team. What are you going to tell Pansy when she finds out that Luna is my second and not you?"

With a shrug and a grin. "That it's all a show for Dumbledore, that I really am your second. Plus I will imply that you are really more of my pawn and that I am actually leading the whole thing."

"Guess I can't be to surprised by that." Emery sighed. "Hey, don't forget that we are going to meet in the Muggle Showroom from now on, I don't want anyone distracting or listening to us while we study or practice."

"But why there?" Draco sneered hatefully. "You, Astoria and I can't be caught there! Our house will think we're blood-traitors!"

Emery rolled his eyes. "Sadly it is the least used and frequented room in the castle that everyone has access to. You need to be polite, too. It took a lot of convincing to get Professor Burbage to agree to let us use the space."

"How'd you get a nut like that to agree to it?" Draco rolled his eyes.

"I told her it would annoy the piss out of you."

* * *

Theo walked into a large study room between the towers for Ravenclaw house and Gryffindor house. This was where everyone had agreed to meet for practice, a process that had taken nearly an hour. Theo wasn't sure why Harry and his second didn't just decide on their own. He frowned as he took a seat. No one of any worth was on the team, at least not in his opinion. This team didn't stand a chance at defeating Emery and Luna's team. Hermoine alone had pretty much sealed all their fates as far as the debate competition went.

Harry couldn't help but frown as he looked over and saw Theo walk in. He was sitting at a table with the Patil twins, Cho, Ernie, Hannah, Seamus, Ginny and Ronald. They all looked at him with obvious concern and that probably angered Theo more than anything else did. No one had even given him a chance and yet here stood before them as if he was already a convicted criminal. His jaw ticked as he noticed there were only nine chairs at the table.

"Sorry, must have miscounted the chairs." Ronald smirked.

"Good thing there are like twenty chairs in here." Theo rolled his eyes as he brought another chair over to the table. "So who wants to move over and let the slimy Slytherin sit between them."

To his surprise no one spoke up. Not a soul was willing to _pretend_ to be nice to him for the mandatory two hours that they were supposed to be practicing. Only internally could Theo ever admit that their actions hurt him and when Theo was hurt he reacted the only way his father had taught him how to.

No one spoke as Theo dragged the chair and placed it next to Ginny Weasely and forced Cho to slide over a bit for him. "Hello Ginny," He smiled and offered his hand to her. She frowned but took his reluctantly, only to receive a kiss on the top of her hand. "It's a pleasure to be working beside the loveliest fifth year in the school."

In an instant Ronald and Harry were to their feet, Ronald shouting something about his sister while Harry simply shouted for him to knock it off. Ginny blushed brightly, but eventually stood up as well as the two boy stood to either side of her. No one else at the table dared to move or even speak as they were sure a fight was about to break out.

"Just what, may I ask, is wrong with being cordial and polite?" Theo demanded calmly, but he held his wand tightly. "I wasn't aware that manners were considered a threat."

"If I believed you were just being polite that would be one thing." Ginny returned, her bright brown eyes narrowed angrily. "You are up to something, Theodore Nott and I don't trust you for one instant."

Theo feigned a look of disinterest as he shrugged and sat down. "My apologies, Ginny, it was not my intent to insult you with a sincere compliment."

"Sincere my arse!" Ronald growled as he, Harry and a now confused Ginny still stood.

"Are you saying your sister is not easily one of the prettiest girls in this school?" Theo asked as his dark blue eyes flashed with mischief at Ronald. When the boy didn't answer, he looked to Harry. "What about you Potter? Are you going to deny it?"

"I..." Harry stuttered as he blushed, all eyes now focused on him including Ginny's. "Deny what Theo? That you were being sincere? Of course you weren't sincere."

"Because you mean to say that you don't find Ginny to be lovely and therefore how could I?" Theo twisted Harry's words easily as the boys at the table cringed or grimaced while the girls turned angry looks to Harry.

"No I mean, yes I mean...Of, of course Ginny is lovely, but I mean you weren't being sincere when you said it. You were just trying to upset Ron and I!"

"By complimenting Ginny?" Theo quirked his left brow and smirked. "Not everything is about you and what you think, Potter. Just because you don't think Ginny's beautiful doesn't mean it isn't so."

"Look you rotten-

"Its an easy fix, Potter. Acknowledge that I did nothing wrong when I gave a sincere compliment to her or admit that you think I was insincere because you believe Ginny isn't beautiful!"

Harry's mind was in such a rage he couldn't think straight. He clutched his wand tightly, wanting nothing more than to hex Theodore Nott and then kick him off the team. This was why he hated Slytherin's! He wasn't even sure what he had done wrong to get all of the girls this upset with him but it wasn't fair. To make matters worse he so upset he couldn't even think back to what had actually turned them against him.

"Fine!" Harry barked. "You were just trying to be nice!"

Ron frowned and shook his head before taking a seat as Harry followed suit. Theodore simply smiled and then looked to Ginny. It was too easy to turn the others against Harry, Ron and even Ginny. While every knew that Slytherin's weren't kind to Gryffindors, the other houses didn't hate or distrust them with quite the same passion as the crimson and gold house did.

The four other representatives of houses outside of Gryffindor could get along quite well with Slytherin students and even they had known that Theo had meant no harm with Ginny. It was actually the Slytherin way of dealing with resistance. Charm and compliment and even during times like these he had succeeded. No longer would the others just blindly follow Harry and Ron's example of hate and distrust on the team.

"Here's the rules that Dumbledore has laid down for the competition. Make sure you all read them and memorize them. I know everyone thinks that Emery's team will win but let's not forget that he doesn't have the brightest on his team. Draco is only able to pass classes because of his father, Neville is miserable in potions and defense against the dark arts, Luna is easily distracted and Astoria is a fourth year." Harry began, doing his best to calm his seething rage.

"I'm sorry, but you aren't really about to underestimate our competition are you?" Padma frowned. "Luna, Michael and Lisa are excellent students from my house. There isn't a grade below Exceeds Expectations amongst those three. Not to mention he has Hermoine Granger on his team and we all know that there is only one professor who gives her a poor grade and it's got nothing to do with failure!"

"Also Harry, don't forget that Susan and and Justin are really good students, too." Cho added with a nodd to defend her fellow Ravenclaw sister.

"You don't have to put down our comrades to boost our self-esteem." Ernie agreed as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Wow. Do any of you three know what a pep-talk is?" Theo shook his head. "He's trying to make you feel better about yourself and the team. Don't take it so personal."

Harry had no idea what to make of a Slytherin coming to his defense so instead of getting caught up in yet another argument he just handed out the scrolls to his nine teammates. "I think that we should practice twice a week. Once after returning from our Hogsmead visit on Saturdays and once on Wednesday." Harry began again. "Any objections?"

He waited for Theo to say something but instead Parvati raised her hand. "Weekends are precious and few as it is, why do we have to practice on Saturday? Can't we practice just once a week?"

"I can tell you now that Emery is practicing with his team twice a week, too." Theo offered. "I think Harry is right. Twice a week at least."

"But quidditch is getting started, too." Ronald frowned. "Not to mention we still have a lot of studying to do for all of our other classes!"

"This is the subject material for the first debate. 'The Forbidden Curses should not be demonstrated in any Wizarding school.' We are going to be arguing against it." Harry explained.

"That seems like an easy win," Seamus shrugged. "We all know that if we don't know what they look like or sound like we can't defend ourselves against them."

"I agree with Seamus." Ronald nodded. "You'd have to be as thick as Crabbe or Goyle to think they shouldn't be demonstrated to us."

As everyone quickly agreed, Harry decided that one practice a week would suffice. Theo didn't bother to argue, at least not yet. He needed to wait until this pathetic little meeting ended. How could they really think this would be so easy against the minds of their competitors. Had they not listened to Emery explain why and how he chose each student? They were going to be humiliated in front of everyone. Theo rarely participated in competitions because he hated how it felt to lose. Nothing stung more than the consequences of failure in his family.

"Harry, can I talk to you?" Theo asked politely once everyone started to head back to their common rooms. "It will be just real quick, I swear."

Ginny and Ron each took a place beside Harry. "Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of all three of us."

"Ok, fine. You aren't used to losing, not at something important. I mean everyone loses a quidditch match here and there, but when it comes to everything else you are always on the winning side. Most of the time by sheer luck or help from your friends." Theo began. He ignored their angry faces and continued. "Harry, we are going to get slaughtered if we don't take this seriously and there is nothing more that I hate than losing."

Ginny's brows furrowed as she watched something like fear flash across the taller sixth years face as he rubbed his the outside of his left arm. She shook her head however as pushed the thought from her mind.

"We won't lose, Nott. How could we?" Harry asked. "We have the easiest part of the argument. Students need to see what they could be facing."

"No, actually, we don't. We have the hardest part, Potter." Theo shook his head. "We have to convince a panel of teachers that students, ALL students are mature enough to see the curses performed without attempting them later. We have to reasonably argue that all four houses should trust each other with the knowledge of how to cast the forbidden curses."

Ron paled a bit at Theo's words. He shook his head. "I wouldn't trust a single Slytherin with that kind of information."

"There are several Ravenclaws that I wouldn't trust with it either." Ginny frowned. "Or Hufflepuffs, or even a Gryffindor or two."

With an obvious look of worry Harry frowned as well. It had seemed so simple only a moment before, but now he saw what Theo did. There was going to be a lot more to this than he thought, and while Hermoine Granger was his best friend, he knew the girl would never just roll over in an academic competition. She had a lot of integrity and she was going to do all she could to make sure her team won.

"You are right, Theo. Twice a week, I'll send notes to the others." Harry sighed. "Looks like we'll just need to pay a bit more attention during class, Ron.


End file.
